NEW member.... HARD big ball between chicken's legs

[ashleymarie15]

Hey all... new to BYC both the forum and actual birds! We have a hen thats been acting off for a week or so now, dirty vent feathers, and was keeping to herself not very active, not eating/drinking much and just acting off. We brought her into the heated garage and some days she has seemed better and some days not so much ... then today we noticed a BIG HARD BALL between her back legs, like baseball hard and about that size too. Have no idea what it could be or what to do.... any ideas?!?!?! please and thank you.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

She may be egg bound. Here, read this. Hope she gets better, and if it's not that, let me know and I'll try to help. Good luck!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-binding-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention

 

[peopleRanimals2]

oh, and

!

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

Sorry to hear your chicken is poorly and I'm afraid it's probably not good news as regards her prognosis.

Three possibilities spring to mind :-

Ascites or water belly....does it feel like a water balloon? This can be drained using a large gauge needle but will fill back up over time and need re draining. Ultimately, she will die (won't we all!) but she could have 6 month to a year of reasonably good quality of life in between assuming the draining goes well and there is no infection sets in

Internal laying.... this is when eggs drop into the abdominal cavity rather than travelling down the oviduct to eventually be laid. The hen slowly fills up with these eggs which kind of cook inside her and eventually infection sets in or they put so much pressure on her intestines, heart etc that she dies.

Tumour.... speaks for itself... production hens are particularly prone to problems with their reproductive system especially once they get beyond 2 years old. Cancerous tumours are quite common. Young pullets(and cockerels) can also be prone to tumours as a result of a herpes type virus that causes Marek's disease.

A vet should be able to diagnose the likely cause and drain or perhaps prescribe antibiotics if appropriate but that could be expensive for a hen that may be not long for this world anyway. Personally, I would try draining it myself if I thought it was ascites and/or make her as comfortable as I could and prepare to euthanize when quality of life is not sustainable.

Sorry I can't offer much hope.

Regards

Barbara

 

[rebrascora]

When a hen is egg bound, you do not normally have any abdominal swelling or certainly nothing noticeable or as significant as a soft ball sized mass.

 

[drumstick diva]

so sorry

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and

! Happy you joined us but sorry about your hen - hope she is going to be okay!

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under ashleymarie15

Welcome!

Great advice from rebrasocra. Best wishes to you and your hen; I hope she is OK.

 

[N F C]

(I wish it was under happier circumstances)

 

[ashleymarie15]

I don't think this poor bird is going to make it. my husband did an internal exam last night and felt no egg, well ever since then its been getting worse by the hour, it just lays there now with its eyes closed. Poor thing, wish i knew what happened to keep it from happening to the other 6 girls. So much to learn on these things.