HELP NEEDED: Young chicken has swollen abdomen! Ruptured air sack(s) likely!

[MelissaRose]

Hello all!

I have a welsummer hen who went broody and hatched two chicks. There were about two months old. This morning the hen and one of the chicks have disappeared. No sign of a fox attack or anything. We found one of the chicks in the coop hiding. It is with another broody right now and she seems good with it so I think its ok. It has been laying down a lot but when I walk towards it it runs away. I caught it and noticed that its abdomen seems to be filled with air, mostly on "his" left side. He seemed to enjoy it when I held him on his back. There is like a large bubble of air on his left lower abdomen and it sort of connects to his upper abdomen. His vent is not blocked, that I can see.
The air seems to be under his skin.

He is a approximately two month old, EE barnyard mix.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MelissaRose]

What can cause swelling like this? I will try to get some pictures.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Yes, get some pics. How is eating, drinking and poop?

 

[MelissaRose]

Yes, get some pics. How is eating, drinking and poop?

I don't know. I have not seen him do any of those but I was with him for about half an hour and then I came to do this. Should I bring him in the house so I can monitor him better?

 

[MelissaRose]

Do you think it's water belly?

What are the symptoms of that?

 

[Henriettamom919]

I don't know. I have not seen him do any of those but I was with him for about half an hour and then I came to do this. Should I bring him in the house so I can monitor him better?

Yes, bring him in for a bit and place him in a box with dry bedding or paper towels. Can you feel his crop? It should be pretty empty and flexible this early. I also want you to sniff his breath and sniff for sour or foul smelling breath.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Do you think it's water belly?

What are the symptoms of that?

That's more common in the fast growing meat breeds and is incurable so it would be a wait and keep comfortable scenario anyway. I don't think that's as likely as other issues.

 

[MelissaRose]

Yes, bring him in for a bit and place him in a box with dry bedding or paper towels. Can you feel his crop? It should be pretty empty and flexible this early. I also want you to sniff his breath and sniff for sour or foul smelling breath.

Ok. I'm going to bring him in and do that.

 

[MelissaRose]

Ok. His breath does not smell funny or bad.

His crop is small but hard. I'm 99.9% sure he ate just now before I brought him in though. There was grain and scratch and stale taco shells.

 

[casportpony]

Do you think it's water belly?

What are the symptoms of that?

Can you post some pictures?