Maran with swollen belly/bum

[ChikkieGirl]

I have the sweetest Copper Maran--she's 5 years old and has this bloop butt that has been getting larger. When I first noticed it, I thought I was going to have to put her down because it looked so painful and was combined with loose stool, but she continued eating just fine and acting normal in every other way, so we haven't worried about it.

Well, we worry, but she seems happy to be alive and even runs when she wants to, although she has to waddle more than usual. She stopped laying, while our others the same age still lay. From my reading, I am assuming she has some kind of cancer that's growing? Am I being cruel by letting her live? Please let me know if you have any suggestions for how I can help her. It started nearly a year ago after a very hot spell.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Can you be more specific as to this "bloop butt"? I can see her tail is down, but do you have pictures of the swelling?

 

[lindy]

i had a cream legbar that had a hernia, eventually the skin got really thin and one day i let her free range with the others and turned around as i was cleaning a stall and saw the chickens chasing her, ran over to her and her intestines were starting to hang out. luckily i had a shovel and culled her before she felt the pain.
She ended up walking over black berry vines and punctured it, then the other hens saw it and likely pulled a bit and she started running. Super sad, she was the sweetest hen and was likely 6-7. I was just glad i was there. She quite laying months back but was happy and eating quite well.
So if your seems to be still moving around and eating/foraging i wouldnt cull her yet. Just watch her and when they quit eating or starting to hide then its time to cull. or does the growth touch the ground? if so does it get infected?

 

[ChikkieGirl]

i had a cream legbar that had a hernia, eventually the skin got really thin and one day i let her free range with the others and turned around as i was cleaning a stall and saw the chickens chasing her, ran over to her and her intestines were starting to hang out. luckily i had a shovel and culled her before she felt the pain.
She ended up walking over black berry vines and punctured it, then the other hens saw it and likely pulled a bit and she started running. Super sad, she was the sweetest hen and was likely 6-7. I was just glad i was there. She quite laying months back but was happy and eating quite well.
So if your seems to be still moving around and eating/foraging i wouldnt cull her yet. Just watch her and when they quit eating or starting to hide then its time to cull. or does the growth touch the ground? if so does it get infected?

Thanks so much for your feedback. A hernia--interesting. I hadn't thought of that. It doesn't touch the ground yet, but it has grown larger and larger. It doesn't have any broken skin nor get infected. I've never had to cull a bird before...although I should have done so with one that got sick. I know I need to put on my big girl pants and be a good mama, but it's pretty intimidating to think about.

 

[ChikkieGirl]

Can you be more specific as to this "bloop butt"? I can see her tail is down, but do you have pictures of the swelling?

I will try and take some more to post later today. Her tail isn't usually down, only because we put her on the roost to get a photo and she has some trouble balancing with so much beneath her. Thanks!

 

[lindy]

Thanks so much for your feedback. A hernia--interesting. I hadn't thought of that. It doesn't touch the ground yet, but it has grown larger and larger. It doesn't have any broken skin nor get infected. I've never had to cull a bird before...although I should have done so with one that got sick. I know I need to put on my big girl pants and be a good mama, but it's pretty intimidating to think about.

I don’t like culling either, I also dont eat meat, but the broom method is the easiest for me, my hands shake too much for a hatchet. I pull hard enough to pull the head off, I want to make sure the chicken is dead, after that just walk away for a bit as the chicken will move like crazy.

 

[Pigeony]

Can you be more specific as to this "bloop butt"? I can see her tail is down, but do you have pictures of the swelling?

The swelling is that pink mass on the belly in the picture, it's pretty visible.