Egg bound, internal laying, tumor, something else?

[littlecreekfarm]

I noticed on Saturday that my one year old silkie hen had a very swollen abdomen, I presume ascites, with a palpable egg like structure in her abdomen. She is currently showing no symptoms of egg binding besides the swelling and “egg” like structure in her abdomen, otherwise is eating and drinking just fine, and is honestly the most lively of my hens. The structure feels like a large egg, and moves somewhat in the abdomen. She does not seem bothered by it being touched. I gave her a warm water bath, which seemed to reduce some swelling and I massaged the abdomen area, but never could get the egg up to the cloaca, and also did not want to risk harming her more, if it is indeed an egg. I have epsom salt coming tomorrow. For now, she is separated and warm. It seems like egg binding, but she is not showing the common symptoms I have seen with that, so it seems like it could be internal laying, but isn’t that usually unformed eggs? I guess it could be a tumor, but feels very very egg like. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Attaching photos of her abdomen after her bath.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed on Saturday that my one year old silkie hen had a very swollen abdomen, I presume ascites, with a palpable egg like structure in her abdomen. She is currently showing no symptoms of egg binding besides the swelling and “egg” like structure in her abdomen, otherwise is eating and drinking just fine, and is honestly the most lively of my hens. The structure feels like a large egg, and moves somewhat in the abdomen. She does not seem bothered by it being touched. I gave her a warm water bath, which seemed to reduce some swelling and I massaged the abdomen area, but never could get the egg up to the cloaca, and also did not want to risk harming her more, if it is indeed an egg. I have epsom salt coming tomorrow. For now, she is separated and warm. It seems like egg binding, but she is not showing the common symptoms I have seen with that, so it seems like it could be internal laying, but isn’t that usually unformed eggs? I guess it could be a tumor, but feels very very egg like. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Attaching photos of her abdomen after her bath.

How is she doing?

If you are feeling an egg like structure IN the abdomen, she may have Internally Laid or depending on where you are feeling, it could be her Gizzard.

An internally laid egg cannot be manipulated out of the hen through the vent, it's in the abdominal cavity. An internally laid egg is a whole shelled egg. EYP and Salpingitis can also cause deposits in the abdomen, sometimes it may feel like small masses or eggs. Really the only way to hopefully differentiate and give the condition a name is if you lose the hen and necropsy is performed.

Excess fluid, water belly = a symptom called Ascites can often accompany reproductive disorders and organ failure.

If she's the most lively hen you have, why separate her out. Leave her with her flock and just pull her aside to access and treat a needed. Separation and isolation is very depressing for them along with being stressful. Let her get on with chickening.

 

[littlecreekfarm]

How is she doing?

If you are feeling an egg like structure IN the abdomen, she may have Internally Laid or depending on where you are feeling, it could be her Gizzard.

An internally laid egg cannot be manipulated out of the hen through the vent, it's in the abdominal cavity. An internally laid egg is a whole shelled egg. EYP and Salpingitis can also cause deposits in the abdomen, sometimes it may feel like small masses or eggs. Really the only way to hopefully differentiate and give the condition a name is if you lose the hen and necropsy is performed.

Excess fluid, water belly = a symptom called Ascites can often accompany reproductive disorders and organ failure.

If she's the most lively hen you have, why separate her out. Leave her with her flock and just pull her aside to access and treat a needed. Separation and isolation is very depressing for them along with being stressful. Let her get on with chickening.

She’s still kicking!
Wondering if it’s internally laid egg, 99% sure it is an egg or egg like structure as when I drained fluid from her I could feel the egg shell with the needle, and if she was egg bound she’d be dead by now of course as we are going on a week since I noticed her symptoms. I will definitely be doing a necropsy when she does pass.

I’ve drained her fluid about every other day and done Epsom soaks. Both seem to offer her a lot of relief. After both of those it is interesting because she runs to a nesting box and acts like she is going to lay.

I’ve really only kept her up separate from the other hens at night to be under heat as we have done a few Epsom salt soaks in the evening and it’s been cold. Otherwise she’s been in with her buddies and been allowed to free range as well - her behavior still very normal. I’ll just be trying to keep her as comfy as possible going forward and will consider culling if QOL decreases.

Thanks for all the insight and advice!