Bloated Abdomen

[XanderWiFi]

Was working outside and walking by the coop. Noticed bare leg, one of our white leghorns was standing very still looking sleepy. I let the girls out for some free range time and she was slow to move, waddling and walking more like a duck then a chicken. If she had pants, it looked like she would have pooped in them and forced to walk around. Every few seconds she would pant and when I finally was able to get ahold of her I could not feel her sternum any longer. Her lower half was extremely bloated. Almost like an air sac rupture, but the air should be traveling upwards. All of this seems concentrated in her lower half (unlike the air rupture Mohawk had that I needle decompressed). Picking her up definitely caused her to pant more. While following her she had two watery brown poops.

Any ideas? I'm stumped. She is in seclusion. Wants to be with the rest of the pack but this seems like something dire. Not posting pictures yet because it isn't anything SUPER obvious that a picture would demonstrate.

Google yields "water belly." She is only going into her third year of life.

 

[XanderWiFi]

Was working outside and walking by the coop. Noticed bare leg, one of our white leghorns was standing very still looking sleepy. I let the girls out for some free range time and she was slow to move, waddling and walking more like a duck then a chicken. If she had pants, it looked like she would have pooped in them and forced to walk around. Every few seconds she would pant and when I finally was able to get ahold of her I could not feel her sternum any longer. Her lower half was extremely bloated. Almost like an air sac rupture, but the air should be traveling upwards. All of this seems concentrated in her lower half (unlike the air rupture Mohawk had that I needle decompressed). Picking her up definitely caused her to pant more. While following her she had two watery brown poops.

Any ideas? I'm stumped. She is in seclusion. Wants to be with the rest of the pack but this seems like something dire. Not posting pictures yet because it isn't anything SUPER obvious that a picture would demonstrate.

Google yields "water belly." She is only going into her third year of life.

https://www.hobbyfarms.com/6-causes-of-swollen-abdomen-in-chickens-2/

Seems I need to prepare for euthanasia.

 

[XanderWiFi]

I'm guessing by the lack of ideas or recommendations that assessment of the situation being dire is relatively accurate?

 

[XanderWiFi]

I'm going to give her a fighting chance by doing this. Maybe the results of this procedure can help someone else here in the future.

Thinking back, Every other day or so I kept thinking an egg broke in the lay box (because 15 chickens have to lay in one and only the one box) or there was an egg eater in the group. Maybe she was egg bound?

 

[XanderWiFi]

Well, I did it. We brought her in and washed her up real well in the sink to get any dingleberries off and get a clear view. Wife held her football style, dabbed some alcohol, pinched my fingers around the syringe so it was no longer than an inch. Picked the lowest, fullest, plumpest spot on the right side of the chickens body, and in it went. Manually pulled 180cc out before letting her loose. She is now free dripping all over the back deck.

The fluid appeared serous, maybe a little cloudy. I suppose that likely means some form of organ failure. Even 10 minutes later she is still steadily dripping away. Upon the initial insertion she was hyperventilating per the wife some but began to settle as the fluid was removed. I never pulled the syringe out, just unhooked the vial with the needle still inside her, drained and reconnected.

Upon letting her go she began clucking at us. We brought out the scraps bucket and she got first pick as a reward picking out some corn and stewed beef from a stew we had. It really seems like a 180 in her demeanor. She is more alert, appetite is good, movement is improving, overall size is decreasing. If the fluid shift puts her into shock and she dies at least she got some treats and temporary relief. She is preening herself and occasionally seems baffled as to why her hind end is leaking.

As I finish this post the dripping is starting to decrease. I know this will just be a temporary measure for her. Inside, something is slowly killing her. But I am happy it seems we bought a little more time. This post has really just been me talking to myself, but if it helps someone else, I am glad.

Pictures attached is equipment used, the fluid drained, and some post procedure pictures.

 

[XanderWiFi]

Her poop is quite watery though. Could be stress from the procedure. Will need to keep an eye on her.

 

[XanderWiFi]

Chicken is very drained today. Maybe a little swelling towards her vent but bony structures all feel natural again. No respiratory struggling. She looks pooped though. Not so pooped to avoid getting to the scrap snack drop for some munchies, but shes a little slower and more subdued than her sisters. I am sure the large fluid shift and stress of getting stuck took it out of her.

 

[Bantamgirl715]

Good for you to take those steps to try to save her life. Obviously there is something serious going on internally, but you probably relieved some pain and pressure and have afforded her some quality of life.

 

[HappyClucker7]

I can't believe nobody answered this thread. I'm glad you could buy her a little more time though.

 

[XanderWiFi]

I had to work for a couple more nights and was unable to fully assess the after effects. She is still perkier than before, but less so than the other girls. She seems to frequently need rests, but I do not see the gasping or panting witnessed before. Her sternum is still palpable but I can still feel significant fluid accumulation around her vent and hind end. Found another wet splotch in the lay boxes, like the ones I thought were the remains of a broken egg eaten. It had a very unsavory smell, akin to a trichomonas infection. No way to know for certain it came from her, but we have been with less white eggs as of late.