Help! Chicken has bulge in between legs

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

My 2 and a 1/2 year old Rhode Island Red Ginger for the past few days I've noticed has not been herself. She doesn't seem to have much of an appetite and walks with hers legs spread out. Last night I felt I between her legs and noticed a lump. I felt my other chickens but Ginger is the only one with a bulge. It didn't feel hard or like a water balloon kind of in between. Her comb is red but flopped over a bit. My chickens are all moulting at the moment, is this part of the moulting process? Could she be stressed out? Some advice on what's wrong with her and how I can treat her would be awesome!

 

[coach723]

If a vet is an option for you that would be best in order to know for sure. But I suspect that she has a reproductive problem, those are the most common causes of bloating or swelling in the abdomen. They can include cancers, salpingitis, EYP and internal laying. Sometimes organ failure can cause fluid build up in the abdomen, ascites, which will cause bloating/swelling.
Unfortunately most of the conditions don't have much in the way of medical options for cure. Sometimes an implant can stop the laying in internal layers, but it's expensive and has to be redone every 4 to 6 months. With salpingitis it may respond to antibiotics if found early enough, but most of the time by the time you see symptoms it's pretty advanced. EYP may be treated with antibiotics, but may recur depending on the root cause.
Generally, birds with symptoms like this don't have a very good long term prognosis, I'm sorry, I'm sure not what you want to hear.
There are many, many articles available that discuss all of those conditions.
Not that it means much, but my hatchery Rhode Island Reds have had a really high percentage of reproductive problems.

 

[WVduckchick]

Do you know when she last laid an egg?

 

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

Do you know when she last laid an egg?

It's hard to tell cause she's with all my other chickens. I think she's also just starting to moult because she's lost some feathers near her vent.

 

[hillbilly91]

My 2 and a 1/2 year old Rhode Island Red Ginger for the past few days I've noticed has not been herself. She doesn't seem to have much of an appetite and walks with hers legs spread out. Last night I felt I between her legs and noticed a lump. I felt my other chickens but Ginger is the only one with a bulge. It didn't feel hard or like a water balloon kind of in between. Her comb is red but flopped over a bit. My chickens are all moulting at the moment, is this part of the moulting process? Could she be stressed out? Some advice on what's wrong with her and how I can treat her would be awesome!

Please include pics as that helps a little more but I agree it's probably reproductive issues

 

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

If a vet is an option for you that would be best in order to know for sure. But I suspect that she has a reproductive problem, those are the most common causes of bloating or swelling in the abdomen. They can include cancers, salpingitis, EYP and internal laying. Sometimes organ failure can cause fluid build up in the abdomen, ascites, which will cause bloating/swelling.
Unfortunately most of the conditions don't have much in the way of medical options for cure. Sometimes an implant can stop the laying in internal layers, but it's expensive and has to be redone every 4 to 6 months. With salpingitis it may respond to antibiotics if found early enough, but most of the time by the time you see symptoms it's pretty advanced. EYP may be treated with antibiotics, but may recur depending on the root cause.
Generally, birds with symptoms like this don't have a very good long term prognosis, I'm sorry, I'm sure not what you want to hear.
There are many, many articles available that discuss all of those conditions.
Not that it means much, but my hatchery Rhode Island Reds have had a really high percentage of reproductive problems.

Ginger was acting a little bit better today when I let them free range around the yard. She seemed to keep up with the rest of the hens. She had a hard time flying up to the spot where she always sleeps so I had to help her. The bulge is fairly big and I can cup my hand around it! I don't think there's an egg stuck cause she's moulting.

 

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

Please include pics as that helps a little more but I agree it's probably reproductive issues

I will take some pictures and post tomorrow

 

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

Here are some pics

 

[Savannah_loves_chickens]

Also All of my chickens have started getting these weird things on their combs, is it just mosquito bites? Should I be concerned?

 

[WVduckchick]

Hmm that might be fowl pox?
@casportpony