Infection internally? Swollen rear below the vent

[katie4]

I bough a gorgeous Copper Maran hen this summer. She is about a year and a half old hen laying big brown speckled eggs. The egg is always the same size, color, and texture and it appears every 48 hours like clockwork.

I noticed 4 days ago that the area below her vent is swollen, firm, and puffy. The swollen area seems to be more pronounced and bigger as the days pass. That's all that seems wrong with her. There's no redness, heat, evidence of picking by other chickens, signs of lice/mites/, no sinus discharge or breathing difficulties. Her vent is normal looking when compared to the other laying hens. She roosts at night in one of the nesting boxes. She's not molting as her clutch mate is.

She is heavy, meaty and docile when I pick her up to examine her. Her eyes, comb, wattles, and feathers are bright and healthy. Her poo is watery but that may be from eating greens from my big home garden. She and the other hens free range in lots of grass and brush which they all eat with gusto.

Can you offer ideas for me to investigate? I was wondering if egg yolk peritonitis can cause this kind of swelling and no other apparent symptoms.

Thanks for any ideas/wisdom you can offer! I'm at a dead end for issues to investigate.

 

[moodlymoo]

When was her last egg? Sounds like she may have an egg stuck

 

[Happy Chooks]

She may be beginning ascites. My BCM had it and her abdomen was super swollen and feverish feeling. It got to where you could see a baseball size of bare skin. I don't have her anymore as a predator got her.

Here's what it looked like in it's middle stage:

 

[katie4]

Thanks for your replies. Her last egg was yesterday. She continues to lay regularly...an egg every 48 hours. She has been consistently laying this way since I got her in July this summer and adjusted to her new home.

Yep, Happy Chooks, that's what her rear looks like. However, she's not red or feverish feeling. I will look up "ascites." What is the general concern with it? Is it treatable?

Thanks for your info. Your hen was certainly a gorgeous girl! So sorry about the predation. I've had a few special ones taken by the airborne predators. Darn hawks! I got my two BCMs by chance good luck. Sure wish I had a rooser, another coop, and the time to breed some. Oh yeah, and the time to take care of them! I have the space and the incubator but that's it!

Any other ideas out there for a swollen rear???

Thanks again!

 

[sonew123]

ugh!!!! I was just about to post the same thing-except I knew what it was...I just don't know how to tret it just yet..researching researching researching...Good luck with your girl.

Mine was starting to walk funny in the last few days-so when she was laying in the sun today I picked her up and noticed her whole bottom was as big as a grapefruit swollen red and liquidy looking-I knew exactly what it was but have never dealt with that before.. I dont have the necessary drugs on hand-I dont think for injections and such so Im researching if there is anything else I can do for her until I can get some..She looks so sad and she is one of Twin EE's..We adore her...she is eating/drinking and poo looks normal-she does not...

 

[katie4]

Hmmmm... Are Copper Marans predisposed to hypertension? I'm certainly not a doctor (human or otherwise). But broilers are big meaty birds so maybe BCMs tend to have issues similar to broilers/roasters. The lady I got the two BCMs from takes really good care of her birds and knows LOTS about caring for chickens, breeding, and such.

Here's interesting links addressing ascites.


http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/500/understanding-and-controlling-ascites

http://journals.cambridge.org/actio...18F1C36B8.journals?fromPage=online&aid=620620

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/204601.htm


From a fast reading of the articles, my BCM has hypertention likely due to liver damage. And there's no treatment. Oh, gosh. What to do next?

 

[EmmyGirl]

I'd venture a guess that if you've confirmed there's no egg that's gotten stuck and the swelling is soft like a water balloon, she may have the beginnings of an infection. Keep a close eye on her. I just lost my favorite girl on Thursday to egg yolk peritonitis with probable liver failure. There was so much fluid that even an x-ray couldn't show any of her organs. Early intervention with antibiotics would probably have saved her--I thought I was dealing with another eggbound issue and wasn't thinking infection so I waited too long to get help. Her poo at the end had turned watery with white grit in it and the vet said that was a result of the infection/liver failure. I'm hoping you've caught this in time if that's what she has. Good luck--I'm sorry she's going through this. It's so scary when you can't figure out what's going on with them!

 

[Happy Chooks]

If it is ascites, you can drain the fluid buildup with a needle - but I've heard mixed reviews about how well it helps. I chose not to drain my girl and just let her live out the rest of her life - she was still laying at the time of her death. It's my understanding that the fluid will keep building up until it compresses the organs and kills her. My girl didn't seem to be in any pain, so I just let her be - but a predator took care of the situation, so I can't tell you how long they can live like that.

I'm sorry I don't have better advise for you.


BTW - it's my understanding with internal laying that the hens lose a lot of weight - so much so that their keel bone is sharp like a knife. My girl with ascites was heavier than heck with all that fluid in her.

 

[katie4]

Our farm/hardware store doesn't carry any meds where I am. I drove an hour to a larger town that has a well-stocked farming supply store and purchased some Duramycin-10. I hope that is a broad enough antiobiotic to treat the infection although it is mainly for respiratory infections. I will try that and keep her in a large dog kennel so the other hens don't get the antiobiotic.

The fluid accumulating makes sense that she is heavier than expected.

Thank you, thank you to all who have offerded advise and information. I really appreciate it!