duck looking chicken

[ALcole]

we have two older white chickens that have a drop bottom they look and walk like a duck. their belly fathers are rubbing off. is it old age or are they really sick? Thanks

 

[Kiki]

Can you please post a few pictures of these two chickens?

 

[MaryZoe]

we have two older white chickens that have a drop bottom they look and walk like a duck. their belly fathers are rubbing off. is it old age or are they really sick? Thanks

How long have they been like that? Hours? Days? Weeks? If it were just one I would be worried she could be egg bound, but two at the same time seems oddly coincidental for such a problem.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

we have two older white chickens that have a drop bottom they look and walk like a duck. their belly fathers are rubbing off. is it old age or are they really sick? Thanks

How old are they?
Can you post some photos?
When was the last time they laid eggs?
Are they eating/drinking?

 

[rebrascora]

My guess would be that they are both laying internally probably combined with ascites.... perhaps as a result of bad diet.... to much carbohydrates (usually scratch)... for them both to be suffering the same ailment at the same time. How long is it since they laid eggs regularly?

Internal laying is different from them being egg bound....which is life threatening within a couple of days.... whereas internal laying goes on for months without any obvious problem, other than the chicken getting heavier and usually walking more upright with a wider stance due to the heavy swelling between their legs..... and often they start to have more liquidy poop that soils their back end. Eventually they will start to struggle with their breathing and comb may turn dark as pressure is put on the heart and lungs.
Does any of this sound familiar or fit with your girls situation. The thing I find most obvious is the weight of them when you pick them up compared to a normal chicken of that breed and the swelling between the legs...again compared to another chicken.

 

[ALcole]

Can you please post a few pictures of these two chickens?

I

Can you please post a few pictures of these two chickens?

I will try

 

[ALcole]

How long have they been like that? Hours? Days? Weeks? If it were just one I would be worried she could be egg bound, but two at the same time seems oddly coincidental for such a problem.

been like that for a couple months eating well and drinking well, we had one that died which we thought was egg bound. the other ones we been putting petroleum jelly up their bottom end

 

[ALcole]

My guess would be that they are both laying internally probably combined with ascites.... perhaps as a result of bad diet.... to much carbohydrates (usually scratch)... for them both to be suffering the same ailment at the same time. How long is it since they laid eggs regularly?

Internal laying is different from them being egg bound....which is life threatening within a couple of days.... whereas internal laying goes on for months without any obvious problem, other than the chicken getting heavier and usually walking more upright with a wider stance due to the heavy swelling between their legs..... and often they start to have more liquidy poop that soils their back end. Eventually they will start to struggle with their breathing and comb may turn dark as pressure is put on the heart and lungs.
Does any of this sound familiar or fit with your girls situation. The thing I find most obvious is the weight of them when you pick them up compared to a normal chicken of that breed and the swelling between the legs...again compared to another chicken.

I really have not seen them laying eggs I will check out the other opition Thank you

 

[rebrascora]

Everything you mention suggests they probably are laying internally. This is where egg yolks are released from the ovary but fail to travel into the oviduct to become eggs as we know them with albumen and shells and get laid. Instead, the yolks drop into the abdominal cavity where they slowly build up and have no way of getting out. This mass of yolks causes an abdominal swelling between the legs, gradually pushing the legs wider apart and causing fluid to leach out of the yolks which effectively "cook". The pressure caused by the yolks and fluid and carrying all this excess weight round puts pressure on the heart and lungs and eventually starts to obstruct the intestines, resulting in runny poop and chickens that sit around a lot panting. It will eventually kill them although draining the fluid will give them pretty instant relief and buy them some time. Draining can be repeated at regular intervals but eventually an infection will probably set in causing Egg Yolk Peritonitis. Once hens start laying internally like this, it is very unlikely that they will ever lay eggs properly again.

 

[Jemezhens]

Everything you mention suggests they probably are laying internally. This is where egg yolks are released from the ovary but fail to travel into the oviduct to become eggs as we know them with albumen and shells and get laid. Instead, the yolks drop into the abdominal cavity where they slowly build up and have no way of getting out. This mass of yolks causes an abdominal swelling between the legs, gradually pushing the legs wider apart and causing fluid to leach out of the yolks which effectively "cook". The pressure caused by the yolks and fluid and carrying all this excess weight round puts pressure on the heart and lungs and eventually starts to obstruct the intestines, resulting in runny poop and chickens that sit around a lot panting. It will eventually kill them although draining the fluid will give them pretty instant relief and buy them some time. Draining can be repeated at regular intervals but eventually an infection will probably set in causing Egg Yolk Peritonitis. Once hens start laying internally like this, it is very unlikely that they will ever lay eggs properly again.

Great info! I have a buckeye that I think is 8yrs, she started duck walking last winter, I assumed it was her age and achey toes. Thanks, I 'm glad I stumbled on this thread!