Chicken with a fat belly/bottom? - UPDATE 1/8

[JustChicky]

One of my girls, Rose, is really big. They are about 9 months old and she has always been bigger. But she has a lot of what feels like fat, under her vent towards her breast, its a good handful. I only get one egg every couple of weeks right now, from one of them, IDK who? But I know Rose was laying this fall. I thought she was going broody because she wouldn't get out of the nest, but she only sat on them for a few days then abandoned them. She is sweet and doesn't seem to be in pain. Oh yeah, she is a Dominique. She eats the same layer pellets and scratch that everyone else eats. I give them treats like eggs, bread, cheerios, vegetable scraps, rice, crackers but they only get treats 3 or 4 times a week. They also free range.

Anyway, is she just fat?

UPDATE:
I stopped giving them so much of the scratch and now I have been getting one egg a day from one of my coops, but it has 4 girls and in the fall I got 4 eggs a day (and sometimes only 2 eggs) from them. It is also a lot warmer outside and seems to be getting brighter.

Rose's bottom is feeling smaller, I guess it was just fat in her case

 

[katrinag]

Is there any way for you to post a pic? Was she laying regularly?

 

[JustChicky]

She was laying 2 or 3 eggs a week. I will try to take a picture tomorrow. It just looks like it hangs down a little. It isn't hard and it doesn't stick out or anything like that. My other girls skin feels taught right there and hers feels like a big squishy belly.

 

[davidb]

I would say shes just fat, especially if your not getting many eggs from any of your hens,If their two fat it effects egg production, try cutting back on the feed a little and see if it helps

 

[JustChicky]

Thank you katrinag & davidb.

I thought they weren't laying because of light. I don't have a light in the coop, it just gets daylight.

I also think I might be giving them too much scratch, I read that might effect egglaying. And they all look a little plump since I have been giving them the 4 grain scratch.

 

[ruth]

She could be an internal layer if she is not laying and the saggy bag feels like "fat". She could also have ascites (fluid buildup) if it feels like a water balloon and it can be drained with a syringe. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of chickens just getting fat and having it hang like a bag between their legs - there is probably something else going on. You could try isolating her to see if she will lay an egg.

 

[14nickle]

My wife has a pet chicken , Cochin, that has been sitting in front of the fireplace for a week. The bird poops vile coloured stuff and at times clear watery fluid with green lumps. It rarely eats and does not jump up onto a perch as it usually would.S

he first noticed that in the coop the bird was not active, then she felt a large sack under the left side while at the same time the left bum is deflated.

Is this at all similar to your bird?

 

[JustChicky]

14nickle - I'm sorry, that doesn't sound like Rose. Poor girl, I hope you can find out what is wrong.

My Rose is acting like all of the other girls. Her poo is normal and she eats, drinks & roosts. When I checked her today it seemed to be 1/2 the size it has been. It also isn't as squishy as it was, but it isn't firm either.

I am not sure what it is, she doesn't seem to mind me touching it and feeling around. I am glad that it is getting smaller.

I think she is just fat. Sometimes she will sit and eat all day, but she does love to go out and play for a bit. She has to be twice the size of my other Dominiques and is heavier than the others when you pick her up. And she has always been bigger.

She looks healthy in her eyes and face.

Sorry, I didn't get a picture of her bottom yet.

ruth - How long should I isolate her? There is no light in the coop, so how long does it take for them to start laying after you add light?

 

[ruth]

I was only suggesting isolating her for a couple of days if you wanted to see whether or not she was laying. You didn't say how many layers you had but you did say you were only getting one egg every couple of weeks. You also said they were free rangers so they could be laying somewhere "secret". I find hidden nests all the time.

 

[JustChicky]

I have 4 girls in one coop (Rose is in this coop) and 3 girls in another coop. I think my golden girl (I don't know what breed she is, she was an extra from Ideal) is laying the eggs I get right now. They are really light, like the eggs she lays. She is in the same coop as Rose.

hidden nests?

I will never find them.