Is this ascites?

[Granny23]

My barred rock feels like she has a basketball under her. A few weeks ago we noticed she was pretty big and researched it. She is about 4+ years old.
All the info came back to ascites and as big as she is we assumed she would pass away soon.
Well here we are 3 weeks later and she is still huge, she can't walk and doing ok! She's eating like a pig!! She eats what I give her and then she eats the lay crumbles.
I put her in a big crate in the coop when I feed her because the other hens will steal her food. At night I lock her in with food and water.
I guess what I'm wanting to know is is this normal? We have resigned ourselves that we're going to lose her but the fact that she continues to eat so well??

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she lay eggs anymore? What does her poop look like? Does she have any yellow urates (the normally white cap in the dropping.) Can you see how large her lower belly is in a picture? Does it feel like fluid or solid? Water belly (ascites) is fairly common in older chickens. Reproductive disorders, cancer, fatty liver disease, and heart failure are some of the possible causes. Have her legs lost strength or is she imbalanced?

 

[Granny23]

Does she lay eggs anymore? What does her poop look like? Does she have any yellow urates (the normally white cap in the dropping.) Can you see how large her lower belly is in a picture? Does it feel like fluid or solid? Water belly (ascites) is fairly common in older chickens. Reproductive disorders, cancer, fatty liver disease, and heart failure are some of the possible causes. Have her legs lost strength or is she imbalanced?

She hasn't been laying, her poop is yellowy green sometimes but some look pretty normal. You can't see her belly when she is sitting but her legs are all wonky like one in front and one in the back. Her balance is really off. My granddaughter brought her inside today and when she was holding her I noticed she mouth breathes ... like mild gasping for air. On the ground she doesn't.
Sometimes she uses a wing to balance herself.
Every morning after I feed her in the crate she wants out to sit in the sun, if the sun is out. It's been raining on and off for a couple weeks. And she is drinking water. She has a bowl she can reach, about 3 cups worth and it's always almost empty from morning to morning.
In the past few days a couple of my RIR's , I have 4, are ganging up on her. She just puts her head down and takes it because she can't fight back. They don't hurt her that I can see. I usually hear it so I go get her and crate her. She's on a bunch of soft bath towels that I change every other day. And she's out of drafts.
I need both hands to pick her up and her belly is a little firm but somewhat mushy as well. Her appetite is what is throwing me. I feed her 3 times a day. Lay crumbles with whatever I can find. Corn, peas, little bits of apple, a little cooked rice, a few earthworms, dry cat food, cut up strawberries... Probably not the best but since she can't get out to do her own scavenging I figure if she's going to die I will continue what I am doing until she doesn't want to eat anymore.
Cookie was the 3rd chick we bought when we started this chicken journey in July 2021 so she is special to us.

 

[Eggcessive]

She should be on mostly chicken feed, and I would stop feeding all of the extras. A bit of egg would be okay in addition. If possible please post pictures of her and her droppings. Have you ever had Mareks in your flock? She might have a vitamin deficiency because of her diet. Hopefully, we can help you figure it out.

 

[Granny23]

I've never had Marens and no more than 8 hens. Cookie is one of the oldest, the youngest are about a year.
She seems fine except for her belly being like a big ball. She's drinking plenty of water and is hungry every morning. Except for her not being able to get around her attitude is amazing.
I'm hoping the couple pictures and one video showing her waddle helps you.
Thanks so much.Great. The video didn't post. It's telling. I'll try again.

 

[Debbie292d]

It does sound like ascites, but on the off chance it's something to do with her reproductive tract, I personally would try giving her around 300 mgs Calcium Citrate +D3 for a couple of days. It wouldn't hurt a bit. Just give her one a day whole.

Definitely keep her on just her feed so she's getting the nutrients she requires. I know you want to give treats, and something small wouldn't hurt, but every bit of something else she gets is less of what she really needs. You could try making her crumbles in a mash with water. Our chickens dive into that.

 

[AshVau22]

Is the mass soft and squishy like a water balloon or hard/firm?

 

[Granny23]

It does sound like ascites, but on the off chance it's something to do with her reproductive tract, I personally would try giving her around 300 mgs Calcium Citrate +D3 for a couple of days. It wouldn't hurt a bit. Just give her one a day whole.

Definitely keep her on just her feed so she's getting the nutrients she requires. I know you want to give treats, and something small wouldn't hurt, but every bit of something else she gets is less of what she really needs. You could try making her crumbles in a mash with water. Our chickens dive into that.

Thank you!

 

[Granny23]

She should be on mostly chicken feed, and I would stop feeding all of the extras. A bit of egg would be okay in addition. If possible please post pictures of her and her droppings. Have you ever had Mareks in your flock? She might have a vitamin deficiency because of her diet. Hopefully, we can help you figure it out.

It does sound like ascites, but on the off chance it's something to do with her reproductive tract, I personally would try giving her around 300 mgs Calcium Citrate +D3 for a couple of days. It wouldn't hurt a bit. Just give her one a day whole.

Definitely keep her on just her feed so she's getting the nutrients she requires. I know you want to give treats, and something small wouldn't hurt, but every bit of something else she gets is less of what she really needs. You could try making her crumbles in a mash with water. Our chickens dive into that.

I figured it was probably ascites and reading there isn't much you can do for it I didn't expect her to survive long so I was giving her things I knew she would like...a last meal as it were and yet here I am 2-3+ weeks later and she's still hanging in there. I have the calcium and I will give her some.

 

[Granny23]

Is the mass soft and squishy like a water balloon or hard/firm?

It's a little soft but after feeling her just now it's a little more firm than being all squishy. She's not a big hen, a barred rock, but I need 2 hands to balance her or pick her up and her belly fills my hand. Otherwise she starts flailing. I feel so bad for her. We raised her and our 7 other hens from 2 week old chicks.