Large bulging area under vent in 1 1/2 year old Barred Rock

[lrgarden]

Hello and hope someone can help. Yesterday I brought my hen inside . Her vent is red, but more importantly, a large bulge underneath.
I have scoured this site for hours and have tried the warm water treatment three times in the last 18 hours. She is now in a metal dog
crate with heat pad underneath, heat lamp overhead to one side. Force feeding her water and yogurt with dropper. She took some
cooked oatmeal this morning and a few feeder pellets. We decided also to investigate for a bound egg using glove, mineral oil. My husband could not feel an egg using the methods described on this site. Some fecal matter did pass as his finger was probing. There was fecal matter on
the bottom of crate this morning.
I have 15 other birds which appear completely healthy and normal. Eleven of them, the 1 1/2 year olds, just finished their molt and are back into production. (The other 5 are just 7 1/2 months old and are laying nicely) I do not know if this bird has started laying after her molt. I can tell the difference between the BR eggs and my other hens.
There is nothing unusual, stressful or any changes in the routines or habits.
My husband is guessing that the duct where the fecal matter passes through is somehow twisted.

Not a great way to start 2011

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[Bocktobery 10]

Hi Irgarden,

First off, I just want to state that I am not a vet or even an experienced person in chicken illness. So, please take everything I say as just suggestion, because that is what it is! Just wanting to offer some sort of help and care if I can...

A couple questions first: When you say 'bulge' is it a bulge that is underneath the feathered portion of the body below the vent, or is it the exposed flesh area at the bottom of the vent or coming out of the vent? I'm sorry that I'm not quite getting a clear picture of what the problem is.. Do you think, If possible, you could take a photo and post it of the injury? Is the stool that came out normal looking? Could you describe the stool? How old is your hen.. I"m assuming she is one of the 1 1/2 year olds? If you could, do you think you could fill out the 'sick chicken' questionaire that is posted on this website? Having some more information like those questions on the list given might help others respond a bit better. The questions list is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3569

My only suggestion for her vent bulge that I can think of is to use a warm water Epsom salt soak on her bulge- that is, if it is exterior, the exposed flesh area at the bottom of the vent. This may shrink it. You said you did a warm water treatment.. does this mean you used epsom salts too? It also may clear out some impurities or anything that may be irritating her there.. and give her some relief. Don't put any inside of her vent though... just soak this area. Again, do this only if the bulge you were talking about is coming out from the vent itself.. If it is a bulge from the inside, then never mind what I just said! Give it a good 20 minute to 1/2 hour soak if you can... or if the chicken is not cooperating, then soak a wash cloth or rag in epsom salt water soak and apply the wet rag or wash cloth on it for just as long. Do this about three times a day.. but I wouldn't say any longer than that. Dry her vent/ bulge area using an absorbent paper towel or cloth (not toilet tissue as that might leave irritants).

I'm wondering if it is a prolapse of some sort?

Did your husband feel a twist inside when he felt around?

Is there any mite or other parasite evidence? What is her behavior like?


I'm sorry to hear about your sick chicken... battling one baffling case myself right now! It sounds as if you are doing the right thing by separating her and giving her some heat and a quiet place with some food. Please respond with some more information. There are lots of people on this board that know WAY more than I do! Hope you get some answers soon!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How about her belly any bulges or swelling? I haven't had this problem but I have read that sometimes you can feel the egg. Is she getting extra calcium along with her laying feed? you can dissolve a tums in some warm water and try to get her to drink it. I would keep soaking maybe every hour or so and keep her on the heating pad. Sounds like your doing all you can, Wish I could help more. Why do you think it's to do with the fecal matter part. Sometimes they just aren't themselves when molting but I would be very concerned about the bulge. Sorry I couldn't help more, Also when she's soaking keep it as quiet and peaceful as possible, the importance of the soak is to help them relax. I'm sure you know this, but I would probably be hovering over mine making her stressful by being stressed myself.

 

[lrgarden]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. BARRED ROCK 1 1/2 YEARS NORMAL SIZE WEIGHT
2) What is the behavior, exactly. BULGING BOTTOM, VENT ITSELF LOOKS NORMAL BUT SMALL GRAPEFRUIT SIZE BULGING UNDERNEATH VENT AREA. REDDENED. DOES NOT PICK AT IT. PULSING AS THOUGH SHE'S TRYING TO PUSH SOMETHING OUT.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? ONE DAY TO MY KNOWLEDGE
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? NONE
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. NONE
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. UNKNOWN, MOLTED FROM LATE AUG THRU LATE NOV
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. FORCE FED H2O WITH SYRINGE, YOGURT, COOKED SOFT OATMEAL, PUT A CRUSHED UP CALCIUM TAB FROM MY VITAMIN SUPPLY INTO THE H2O/SYRINGE
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. SEEMS NORMAL, FORMED, NOT DISCOLORED OR ESPECIALLY SMELLY
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? WARM BATHS, CURRENTLY IN HOUSE WITH HEAT OVER AND UNDER
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? HUSBAND IS CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED SO TRYING TO AVOID COSTLY VET VISIT
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use COMBO OF MARTH BRAND WOOD SHAVINGS AND SOME STRAW WHICH GETS KICKED OUT OF NESTING BOXES. LARGE COOP WITH PERCHES, ELEVATED FEEDER, PURINA LAYENA PELLETS, SOME SCRATCH, AND KITCHEN VEGETABLE SCRAPS, HEATED H20 IN GALVANIZED CONTAINER, OUTSIDE CONTAINED RUN WITH ELEVATED PERCHES.


Many thanks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think it would hurt to add epsom salt anyway it's good for swelling. What Boctobery10 said about did your husband feel something when he checked her vent?..Is that how you came to that conclusion about intestines being twisted?

 

[lrgarden]

This may sound silly however he is a pheasant hunter and wasn't too squeamish to check in there. Since he couldn't feel an egg he assumed it was something else. The last pheasant he shot a number of years ago was a hen that had eggs in various stages inside. While a pheasant differs from a chicken he sort of understands the duct system after having one open while field dressing.

Goin out to the feed supply store to see if some antibiotics are available.

Thank you

 

[Miss Lydia]

SpeckledHen has had alot of hens that have been internal layers might want to PM her and tell her whats going on she might have insight into this better than the rest of us. Please keep us imformed.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Hi Irgarden,

Thanks for the information.. I don't know anything on how to help possible twisted tracts inside bird, but if your husband felt something like that, and has the experience of first hand seeing avian insides, then that sounds like its the problem. I would try and do what Miss Lydia suggested about PMing the member SpeckeledHen. I can't really help you any farther than that, but...

I do have a few more questions for you... It might help some more if you describe the bulge a bit more. Is the bulge squishy like its full of liquid, or hard, or ??? If you squeeze it, does the chicken respond in pain? (And if you do squeeze it, do it as gently and softly as you can! It could be dangerous to squeeze it.) I had not realized it was as big as a small grapefruit.. so are we talking about an orange sized bulge? It sounds very large.


The consistency of the bugle could give a clue into it being filled with fluid, or poo, or something else. I'm assuming this happened very very quickly, like overnight, correct? If it is fluid filled, could possibly drain it... (DON'T do that yet unless someone here instructs you otherwise.. just a thought it could possibly prolong your chicken's chance if the bulge is getting bigger by the minute! Like it was full of puss or something.) Whatever the bulge is filled with might give a clue as to the type of injury that is going on. (With everything stated in your posts though, I am assuming it is squishy.)


I hope that you can get through to SpeckeledHen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could it be an abscess? can you post pictures?

 

[speckledhen]

That doesn't sound exactly like an internal layer--never had a bulge below the vent other than one hen, whose giant egg had dropped into her abdomen and it felt like a rock in there. Had to put her down and found she had several eggs backed up. In that case, there is no hope without a vet doing surgery. Another's abdomen was full of fluid like a beach ball. Sorry, can't really help you. Most of us are flying blind with our chickens and health issues anyway. And without seeing and feeling her, I can't say anything for sure.