Chicken swollen below vent/limping-not sure what is wrong

[Emmz789]

She is about 1.5 & has molted already. I thought she was egg bound so I followed another post-soaked her in epsom salt, gave nutri-drench&have kept her inside to keep her comfortable . She has never had any health issues nor have the other 5. On Sunday night i noticed that she wasn't on the perch and when she got up she lost her balance. Further inspection I saw that she was very swollen and red below her vent. It was squishy but felt solid and while massaging during the soak it does move. I tried to feel for an egg but I do not think it is that. She is pulsing every so often as if she is trying to lay one so I am not sure. She is eating/drinking/pooping , her comb is bright red&shes alert and will try walking around. She is fed layer&oyster shell free choice & sometimes scratch grains.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Swollen squishy bottom is generally either ascites or egg yolk peritonitis, which is an infection caused by eggs being dropped inside the abdomen. Both aren't good things.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I have had a few hens with the bulbous enlargement of the lower belly, and they have lived a couple of years after it was noticed. It can be a sign of internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, and fat or even a hernia. Most times we don’t know exactly until after death when we can do a necropsy. Is her tail up or down? How long since she last laid an egg? With her bottom protruding out like that, she may poop on herself now and then, so keep that cleaned off. Antibiotics are seldom a cure. Here is some reading about reproductive problems:
http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/

http://www.scoopfromthecoop.com/laying-issues-internal-layers-and-peritonitis/

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is about 1.5 & has molted already. I thought she was egg bound so I followed another post-soaked her in epsom salt, gave nutri-drench&have kept her inside to keep her comfortable . She has never had any health issues nor have the other 5. On Sunday night i noticed that she wasn't on the perch and when she got up she lost her balance. Further inspection I saw that she was very swollen and red below her vent. It was squishy but felt solid and while massaging during the soak it does move. I tried to feel for an egg but I do not think it is that. She is pulsing every so often as if she is trying to lay one so I am not sure. She is eating/drinking/pooping , her comb is bright red&shes alert and will try walking around. She is fed layer&oyster shell free choice & sometimes scratch grains.View attachment 1602967 View attachment 1602967

Welcome To BYC!
I'm sorry to hear about your hen.
I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs it does sounds like your girl is suffering from a reproductive problem. Internal laying, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer, tumors and Salpingitis can all be common in laying hens.
If there is fluid in the belly, sometimes that can be drained to give relief short term. It's a good idea to administer antibiotics if you drain them to help fight infection.

A lot of times all you can do is offer supportive care, see that they are staying hydrated and eating. If they don't improve over the course of a few days, then it may be time to kindly put them down. It's hard to know with chickens, I've had a few that bounced back and lived for several more months seemingly happy.

 

[Emmz789]

Welcome to BYC. I have had a few hens with the bulbous enlargement of the lower belly, and they have lived a couple of years after it was noticed. It can be a sign of internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, and fat or even a hernia. Most times we don’t know exactly until after death when we can do a necropsy. Is her tail up or down? How long since she last laid an egg? With her bottom protruding out like that, she may poop on herself now and then, so keep that cleaned off. Antibiotics are seldom a cure. Here is some reading about reproductive problems:
http://www.theveterinaryexpert.com/backyard-poultry/egg-yolk-peritonitis/

http://www.scoopfromthecoop.com/laying-issues-internal-layers-and-peritonitis/

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/egg-peritonitis

Everyone is so helpful thank you so much!!! I am not sure when her last egg was laid. She was actually wanting to take over all of the nest boxes and lay on the others I had to start collecting 3 times a day to try to prevent it. When she first started limping she couldn't lift her leg to scratch her face but now she can and seems to want to walk around more. When she sits she ruffles her feathers a lil bit and her tail is up. If it is fluid is there a way I could tell? I'd hate to put her down if that is what it could be. There isn't any vets around where I live that treat chickens. I do have a neighbor down the road I would like to ask for help tomorrow morning but im not sure if they'd be able to tell me or not. I'm so glad I found this site! There is so much information I did not know before.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is lovely.
When you feel you feel that area between her legs - what does it feel like - hard, fluid filled?