5 day old Welsummer bantam with bulge on lower belly - HERNIA????

[ImportTheBest]

I was cleaning out the brooder a little bit ago because the chicks got silly and emptied their water bottle while I was out around lunch time. They had gotten wet under their bellies and so I was checking each to make sure they were drying off and to make sure there wasn't any poop or food stuck to them.

When I picked up the little Welsummer bantam I noticed a rather strange bulge on her lower belly, almost between her legs. I checked the others and didn't see anything like it on them. A friend who has a Welsummer from the same hatching (we ordered together) checked hers, and nothing strange on her thankfully.

But what is this bulge? Praying this is the beginning of the end of this girly

Hubby had to take the pic while I held her so it isn't as zoomed in as I would have gone, but I can try and crop it if need be.
I have separated her in her own tiny brooder with a little food and water. And her brooder is right next to theirs so that they can chat still. The brooder is in the garage because it's nice and warm for them there.

Please help me figure out what is going on with our precious girlie

 

[stoopid]

It looks like her belly button is infected.
Put some neosporin on it, and hope it gets better.

 

[ImportTheBest]

I have that, so I'll try that in a few!

How often should I reapply, and I'm assuming just a tiny bit each time or shavings will stick to her right?

Also, should I keep her separated for the rest of the day and night so the other's don't peck at her belly?
I ask because they were mildly upset after brooder clean out and were pecking at her wing feathers and feet a little.

Thank you!

 

[ImportTheBest]

I've been doing the neosporin, but it is bigger. I have done some googling and chatting with some more experienced, than myself, chicken mamas that I know, and we are almost certain it's a hernia, a really big one.

Pics from today:

Google results were similar sized masses on full grown chickens, and I'm worried this might end up to be more than her system can handle. Though the the chickens I found were ok, not going to lay much (I don't care about less or no eggs from her), but might become internal layers...which concern me greatly...if she even makes it to that age.

Anyone know more about huge hernia's on chicks??

 

[ImportTheBest]

This is her upright and moving around btw

Isn't she a beauty?!

 

[AndreaS]

Oh, I'm so very sorry to see this! I just went through exactly the same thing with a little Salmon Favorelles chick named Ruth. I'm going to give you the link to my thread at the bottom of this post.

So here is the summary of everything I learned:

Chickens can live with a hernia, provided that the pouch remains large enough that it does not pinch (strangulate) the instestines. Unfortunately, there are some pretty big caveats to this. #1. With a baby chick with a hernia, there is a large risk of the intestines getting pinched because the pouch of skin holding them may not grow as quickly to accommodate the growing intestines. #2. IF she manages to grow up with the hernia - Laying can pose serious complications, and every story of a chicken with a large hernia that I have found has resulted in the chicken ripping the hernia open at some point in the future, intestines spilling out, and the poor chicken becoming an object of cannibilism by her flock mates. Not a nice way to die.

Here are a few important things to consider.....can you push the hernia back inside? I was told by an avian vet that sometimes the intestines will actually develop outside because there is not enough room inside for them. If you can push the hernia back into the abdominal cavity, then the situation may be able to be reversed with surgery.

The other important thing to consider - make sure she is pooping and that things are moving through. Otherwise, she may be strangulating already.

I'm not sure what your intentions for this little one are. I decided to bite the bullet and consult a veterinarian. I saw two different vets. The first was at an avian and exotic vet who said that my options were to either make Ruthie a house chicken, where she could be in a safe environment, lowering the risk of the hernia getting ripped open- provided that she was indeed able to grow up with it, or to do surgery before she was full grown. I went home, did a lot of research on chickens and anesthesia - and emailed her a list of questions about the risks of surgery on a chick so young. At that time, I had found a vet who specialized in avian patients exclusively, and decided to get a second opinion from him. He was convinced that we should do surgery as soon as possible. He said that as she grew, the risk of strangulation was too high, and that her abdominal cavity might shrink as she grew, not leaving enough space for the hernia to be pushed back in. We scheduled surgery for that Monday. I figured that a vet who dealt exclusively with avian patients would be my best bet.

The morning of Ruthie's surgery I recieved a return email from the first vet. She said she had talked to some other vets in her practice and they thought that giving Ruth a few more weeks of growth would be the best bet for her to be strong enough to make it through surgery. She said if I could fashion a truss or belt of some sort to hold the hernia in while she grew we could do surgery maybe when she was 4-6 weeks old. I already had surgery scheduled, so asked the avian only vet who was going to be doing the procedure about this. He said that a belt would be too difficult to fit, and that it would increase the risk of an intestine being pinched. SO- we went ahead with surgery.

Her heart stopped during the procedure. I was devestated. The avian vet said that there was something developmentally wrong with her, and that she may have had heart problems as well.

Looking back on it now, I think I would have waited. As long as I could have watched her closely to make sure that food was moving though her system, and fashioned a truss to hold in the hernia, she may have been able to handle surgery if she was a little older and stronger. Of course, that doesn't mean she would have made it. Especially if there was something very wrong with her developmentally. She certainly didn't act like she had a problem. By the day of her surgery, she was happy, eating and running around like a normal spunky little chick.

Of course, most people will not spend $$$ on a $6 chick, and that is understandable. I wish I had some advice for you- but all I can do is tell you Ruthie's story and let you make a decision from there. I guess my opinion would be either to cull her now, sparing her from pain in the future, or to find the best avain vet you can, and ask their opinion. Perhaps you will think of another option that did not occur to me.

Please keep us posted on this little one and what you decide. Good luck, and here is the link to Ruthie's thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/699186/surgery-today-ruthie-is-gone

Andrea

 

[AndreaS]

It just occurred to me. Was this chick hatched on Monday? If so, she would have been born on the day my Ruth died. Huh.

 

[ImportTheBest]

It just occurred to me. Was this chick hatched on Monday? If so, she would have been born on the day my Ruth died. Huh.

She was <3
My heart aches for you and I wanted to cry for both our chickies.

I thank you SO much for all your info and the link to your thread. I had somehow missed it in all my searches.
I am fairly certain it's a hernia. And it's much bigger than your sweet little Ruth's...which concerns me greatly.

I have phoned and emailed pics and info to My Pet Chicken, and they're going to see if there is anyway they can brainstorm a way to help her, but I have explained to then that we simply cannot afford an operation, and I fear that her's is too far gone anyway. *sniff*

I don't know what to do right now. I've asked some friends for their opinion on the next step, I am waiting on next step suggestions from MPC and I've read through your info and your whole thread. You are one awesome chickie mama btw

Thank you again. I really appreciate everything.

 

[AndreaS]

Interesting. I ordered from MPC as well.
Ruthie's hernia was larger by the end- closer to the size of your little welsummers. It would get bigger when she was full, and smaller as food worked through her system. The vet told me large hernias are actually better because they pose less risk of strangulation. Is your little one pooping regularly?

I'll be interested to hear what MPC has to say about it....

Sorry the news isn't better.

 

[ImportTheBest]

Interesting. I ordered from MPC as well.
Ruthie's hernia was larger by the end- closer to the size of your little welsummers. It would get bigger when she was full, and smaller as food worked through her system. The vet told me large hernias are actually better because they pose less risk of strangulation. Is your little one pooping regularly?
I'll be interested to hear what MPC has to say about it....
Sorry the news isn't better.

Shame, I'm sorry her's had gotten bigger too.
The lower risk of strangulation is good though. She is still eating,drinking and pooping. I don't know how much she's eating because she's making a game of emptying the little lid of food I have for her, lol. But I HAVE seen her drink and poop, and there is always lots of poop to clean out of her little brooder too.

I haven't gotten a full reply from MPC yet, she said it would be later though, so that she could show the email and photos to as many people as possible to get the best advice for me. But one lady did phone to say that while she didn't have an answer, she just wanted to let me know that when she had one chick alone she'd put in a little mirror with her. And the chick had seen her reflection and snuggled up to this fellow chick. She said it had calmed her. I don't think I have a little mirror but I will try and find a little stuffed toy or something that might do the trick for now.