Hen with water belly?

[MarlaMac]

I started this thread, but I don't know where it went, so I apologize if this is duplicated.

I have a hen who I believe has water belly. We found this during our monthly chicken checkups. She is definitely squishy in her abdomen area and she is a little red in that area too. She d6-oesn't waddle when she walks. She eats, drinks and forages with the flock. Her comb and wattles are nice and red; she is not really waddling. I don't know if she is currently laying, but she does visit the lay boxes on a regular basis. We have 14 layers and are getting between 6 and 9 eggs a day. All Black Australorps, so no telling who is actually laying.

We have a 1/2 inch 20 gauge needle with a 60 cc syringe and have watched a few videos on how to draw fluid off a chicken.

My question is should I draw fluid at this point or simply wait and see if the condition worsens?

Thank you for your time and advice.

 

[MysteryChicken]

She could just be fat. Fat can be squishy.
You could always check for fluid if you suspect she has water belly though.

 

[MarlaMac]

She could just be fat. Fat can be squishy.
You could always check for fluid if you suspect she has water belly though.

Hmmm, didn't think of that. She doesn't look fat otherwise, but it could be the case.

I just don't want to do anything invasive if I don't have too.

Trying to gauge the prudent thing to do.

If it is fat and I try to pull it, what will I see?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hmmm, didn't think of that. She doesn't look fat otherwise, but it could be the case.

I just don't want to do anything invasive if I don't have too.

Trying to gauge the prudent thing to do.

If it is fat and I try to pull it, what will I see?

You'd probably just get some fat in the needle, & not fluids.

 

[Suz721Chickens]

I have drawn water off hens with egg yolk peritonitis as a way to keep them comfortable but ultimately it is nothing more than that .

This being the case I wouldn’t borrow trouble by tapping into a hen who is otherwise exhibiting no issues .

I would also do my best to figure out if this girl is laying . I will make sure she has no other eggs under her in nest and then be on it when she exits.

Tapping isn’t as easy as just sticking a needle in and hitting fluid and there are plenty of other things to hit as well. My vet tried one time for 20 minutes and came up empty but I took hen home , she relaxed and I hit a spot and pulled 12 ounces of nasty egg yolk peritonitis fluid out .

Even with antibiotics it was never possible to fix these issues so like I said it’s more about it making an otherwise okayish pet hen comfortable until things progressed to intolerable and euthanasia was necessary.

 

[Eggcessive]

There is no reason to try and drain a hen who has a big belly, who is acting normal and doing well. Water belly or ascites is a condition they do not survive. You cannot cure it by draining them. If a hen has labored breathing and is uncomfortable with a big lower belly that might be fluid filled, then I might attempt draining to ease her symptoms, and to confirm ascites. Your hen may be a big bodied hen with some extra fat. I would leave her alone unless she get into distress. She also could be laying internally. You could watch her to see if she goes into the nest box, spending some time cleaning or something. Can you tell her apart from others easily by her comb or some other way?

 

[MarlaMac]

There is no reason to try and drain a hen who has a big belly, who is acting normal and doing well. Water belly or ascites is a condition they do not survive. You cannot cure it by draining them. If a hen has labored breathing and is uncomfortable with a big lower belly that might be fluid filled, then I might attempt draining to ease her symptoms, and to confirm ascites. Your hen may be a big bodied hen with some extra fat. I would leave her alone unless she get into distress. She also could be laying internally. You could watch her to see if she goes into the nest box, spending some time cleaning or something. Can you tell her apart from others easily by her comb or some other way?

Thank you. I do have her tagged with an ankle bracelet, so I can keep an eye on her. I realize that ascites is a symptom of a eventually fatal condition. I am refraining from trying to drain her belly.

I agree, no symptoms, no actions. I do not feel any masses in her abdomen. Her vent does not look like anything abnormal is happening in that area.

So, now we will wait and see how things go.

Thanks to all for your insights.

 

[Stephine]

I have had a couple of hens with water bellies but no sever issues and I didn’t do anything. One went away again on its own, the other one the hen lived 6 years before she got skinny and died quite quickly with no apparent issues. So Inwould just let it go.

 

[MarlaMac]

I have had a couple of hens with water bellies but no sever issues and I didn’t do anything. One went away again on its own, the other one the hen lived 6 years before she got skinny and died quite quickly with no apparent issues. So Inwould just let it go.

Thanks for sharing your experience.