HELP! What wrong with Loretta??

[chickenmom78]

My 1 year old hen Loretta has been walking funny, kinda with a waddle, since yesterday and I thought she was eggbound. She egged today and is still the same. She’s eating, drinking, foraging and basically herself other then tail down and walking as if she’s weighed down. “Loaded diaper walk” if you will. Any ideas what could be wrong and what I can do? I’ll try to post a photo here as well. Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep an eye on her. Are you certain she laid an egg today and was it normal? Is she eating and drinking okay? She could be having some sort of reproductive disorder, or have fluid in her lower belly. Can you feel her lower abdomen to see if it seems enlarged or full of fluid? How does her crop feel early in the morning before she has eaten or drunk anything—can you check it in the morning when it should be empty?

 

[Chickadee Salt]

Check her vent area--maybe she has mites.

 

[chickenmom78]

I would keep an eye on her. Are you certain she laid an egg today and was it normal? Is she eating and drinking okay? She could be having some sort of reproductive disorder, or have fluid in her lower belly. Can you feel her lower abdomen to see if it seems enlarged or full of fluid? How does her crop feel early in the morning before she has eaten or drunk anything—can you check it in the morning when it should be empty?

I’m positive she laid an egg today. Vent looks okay, her belly/under carriage feels like maybe it could have fluid?? I have nothing to compare it too though. When I soaked her yesterday in an epsom salt bath afterwards I felt like she looked a little puffy under her vent in the belly area. She’s eating and drinking. Crop empty in morning and I have seen her poop normal poops too. I checked for mites, none. No worms. I’m at a loss??

 

[Eggcessive]

Internal laying and ascites or water belly can also cause the waddling that looks like egg binding. Is she a bit on the heavy side? That might cause one to waddle a bit if they have fat deposits in their abdomen.

 

[chickenmom78]

She is my heavy chicken. She has always been the biggest since a chick. She is the dominant chicken so she's first and last to eat. I was watching her this morning, she seems a bit perkier then yesterday and talkative. still has a good appetite and drinking well. I'm torn between thinking she was having trouble passing a large egg and inflammation of some kind in the reproductive tract. Yesterdays egg was by no means the largest she's laid. I get some that are the size of duck eggs from her almost weekly. I have someone recommending that I start her on antibiotics in case it's peritonitis. I know I want to help her but not do anything that will stress her and prolong the inevitable. I think antibiotics sound reasonable though. Thoughts?