Hens abdomen hard, help!

[parrotschickens]

My 5 year old barred rock hen is not wanting to eat to much, walks like a duck, and abdomen is hard as a rock. I have soaked her butt and used olive oil to check in her but didn't feel a thing. What else can i do? Didn't feel no egg although the last two or three days she had poop stuck on her butt. Help! Any suggestions? Besides taking her to the vet what else?

 

[McIntosh2019]

First, there aren't any chicken doctors that are really good, so be careful about that. She probably has an impacted egg that is farther up than normal, it is probably in her chest area and it's probably very small. The best thing that you could do is get mealworms and softer food that will be easier for her to digest. When she does digest, the egg will come out with it. Clean it up as soon as possible in case she has worms. you should keep her inside, too. The heat won't help her and she will need to be watched closely.

DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Good luck and hope I've helped!!!!!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Do you mean that she has generalized lower abdomen swelling? And it feels tight and hard? If so, that is ascites, a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. If she is waddling when she walks that's likely what's going on. The causes for ascites can be anything from egg laying issues like internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis to other major organ problems such as a heart problems or problems with the liver/kidneys, or tumors. None of them are a good prognosis. Some people drain the fluid from the abdomen with a large gauge needle or have a vet do it. It makes the hen temporarily more comfortable but does not solve the underlying problem. The end result is always the same eventually.

You could take her to the vet if you have an avian vet near you. They are rather few and far between and many of them specialize in parrot type birds. The knowledge crosses over in some aspects but in other ways parrots and chickens are not alike. I have found it to be of marginal help and usually quite expensive. Chickens are often very hard to diagnose without a lot of expensive testing. On the other hand if you have access to a good avian vet and you want to give it a try he/she may be able to help you figure out what's going on and what the best course of action would be.

 

[parrotschickens]

She is swollen all the way from the bottom her keel bone to her vent. She kind of walks with her butt in the air since i soaked her. So how do i know if it's acites or an egg problem? I don't want her to suffer!

 

[McIntosh2019]

Just to be careful, you should treat her for both.

 

[parrotschickens]

Besides what i'm doing how do i treat for each?

 

[McIntosh2019]

Take her inside and watch her closely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feed her with a turkey baster and pay very close attention on her. Get pure water and soft food. Have her food and water with oil. Eventually, the egg will come out, or she will loosen up. Either way, clean up her poo IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cafarmgirl]

There is no treatment for ascites, when I have a hen develop that I have her put down as it usually is a slow and unpleasant way to go. If your hen has that much of her lower body swollen it sounds like that's what she has. She has likely stopped laying because of whatever is going on with her that is causing the ascites, not because she is egg bound.

As I mentioned before, some people do drain these birds but that does not cure whatever problem is causing the ascites, it only makes the hen more comfortable for a short time. The fluid always returns. There is some underlying reason this is happening and none of the possible causes are anything that will have a good outcome.

As a side note: If you decide to try to force feed this hen with a turkey baster as was mentioned, be VERY careful. (I personally would not recommend it) It is very easy for chickens to aspirate food or fluids into their lungs when force fed in this way.

 

[Romochickencrazy]

It does sound like ascites and there is no cure but you can help her by draining her will see if I can send you a link to read up on this.

 

[Romochickencrazy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/638821/ascites-swollen-squishy-abdomen-with-pics-video-page-9

Ok not sure if I did this right but hopefully this will take you to the site. Has video on this site to show you how to drain your girls abdomen. Good luck!