Is this normal?

[NikaStar]

Hi everyone. My chicken has plucked her bottom feathers out... I want to say within 48hrs for sure. I also noticed a big lump... (maybe where the egg is located?) But would it be so visible? She's acting normal, eating and drinking. I have one white egg this morning, like hers...but I also have another chicken that lays such eggs... so I don't know who's it is.
Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[theoldchick]

I'd separate her and observe her for 24-48 hours. That way you can observe the nature of her poop, if she is indeed laying an egg, and how well she is eating and drinking. Egg bound hens don't normally eat or drink and look very depressed. This may be a tumor or an internal prolapse/hernia.

 

[Eggcessive]

A swollen lower abdomen can be an indication of internal laying of egg masses, or fluid from ascites. Ascites is common in hens with liver problems from reproductive disorders, cancer, and fatty liver disease. If she seems to be in pain or breathing hard, you can temporarily drain some fluid with a hypodermic needle.

 

[NikaStar]

Update:
So I tried to drain the fluid from ascites with a hypodermic needle, but nothing was coming out... it was like a vacuum in there. But the sack is very jelly like. There was 1 drop that was yellow in color. I did this 3 times, with no hope. Not sure if I was doing it wrong or what.
There is no option to take her to the vet.
Any thoughts?
Bellow are pictures of her.
She is around 2.5years old.. maybe closer to 3. +/- got her as an already laying "young" hen in August 2020.

 

[Eggcessive]

Since you did not get fluid back, it may be that her belly contains masses of internally laid eggs. There may not be a lot of fluid, the fluid may be too thick. It is hard to know the exact cause without expensive xrays from a vet, or a necropsy done after death. I had a couple of large hens who had that swelling for a couple of years before they became sick or died. They lived pretty normal lives until then. With most hens like that, I did not care to try and drain unless they became ill and had labored breathing. I usually will do a necropsy if I lose a hen, just to try and determine if it is cancer, internal laying, ascites, or liver issues. Taking pictures of the organs to post here in a thread is a good way to learn what was happening, and your state vet can do a more thorough one.

 

[NikaStar]

Since you did not get fluid back, it may be that her belly contains masses of internally laid eggs. There may not be a lot of fluid, the fluid may be too thick. It is hard to know the exact cause without expensive xrays from a vet, or a necropsy done after death. I had a couple of large hens who had that swelling for a couple of years before they became sick or died. They lived pretty normal lives until then. With most hens like that, I did not care to try and drain unless they became ill and had labored breathing. I usually will do a necropsy if I lose a hen, just to try and determine if it is cancer, internal laying, ascites, or liver issues. Taking pictures of the organs to post here in a thread is a good way to learn what was happening, and your state vet can do a more thorough one.

I am keeping her in. Today she laid an egg... she hasn't in over a week.
Does this info change anything?
I don't live in the states. In in Belarus. Not a lot of vets here for chickens.. usually if any issues people just send the chicken to soup.
I'm trying to help her live a nicer and longer life than that.

 

[The Chick Addict]

I am keeping her in. Today she laid an egg... she hasn't in over a week.
Does this info change anything?
I don't live in the states. In in Belarus. Not a lot of vets here for chickens.. usually if any issues people just send the chicken to soup.
I'm trying to help her live a nicer and longer life than that.

Thank you for helping her! Her having laid an egg sounds like good news... how is she?

 

[NikaStar]

Thank you for helping her! Her having laid an egg sounds like good news... how is she?

Well, she is inside and eating, drinking. Her lump is still there.. and I'm not sure how I can "drain" it... or if I should do anything with it.
She laid an egg because maybe she warmed up? It's-14degrees C here, in the coop it's about +5C and inside its 23C.
Any recommendations on what I should do next?

 

[NikaStar]

Any idea what this may be?
If she is internally laying wouldn't she feel bad? Like tail down and sitting upright?
If it's water belly, why isn't there fluid coming out when I tried draining her?
She looks ok...
Like I said before she gave an egg yesterday.
Ant ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Honestly, I would just observe her. Since she laid an egg, she sounds alright for now. Some chickens can develop a hernia in the muscle wall. Some may be irritating her, which is why she has been pecking out her own feathers. Whether it is ascites fluid, a hernia, a tumor, or internal laying, there is not much you can do about it. Any of those things are common, and most are eventually lethal. Let us know how she is getting along.