Please Help!!!! What is this mass????

[sahensle]

After giving our chicken and a bath because she had a large amount of poop on her back end. We discovered this bulge. Does anyone know what this is? Does anyone know what to do about it? Should I keep her separated from the rest of the flock?
She seems to be OK but I'm not here all day to watch her.

 

[SeaPolka]

Does she lay? Looks like internal laying

 

[Eggcessive]

She may be an internal layer or have a hernia. How does the mass feel--soft and spongy, firm, or tight like a drum? If it is tight, she may have fluid or ascites in her lower belly. I have a hen who looks like that, and she has to be cleaned off of droppings occasionally since it catches them. My hen has lived for a couple of years, but she does not lay eggs, and her belly is probably full of lash eggs, egg matter, or fluid. Occasionally, some hens have hernias there that can rupture and spill out intestines and abdominal organs. These types of enlarged masses in that location are fairly common.

 

[LadyRed76]

I'm looking for the other Thread that addresses this issue.
If I find it I'll post the link.
I'm sure someone on here has the Link,if I can't find it.

 

[sahensle]

Does she lay? Looks like internal laying

Currently she is not laying and hasn't since the summertime. She is around four years old now. She still hit or miss.

 

[LadyRed76]

She may be an internal layer or have a hernia. How does the mass feel--soft and spongy, firm, or tight like a drum? If it is tight, she may have fluid or ascites in her lower belly. I have a hen who looks like that, and she has to be cleaned off of droppings occasionally since it catches them. My hen has lived for a couple of years, but she does not lay eggs, and her belly is probably full of lash eggs, egg matter, or fluid. Occasionally, some hens have hernias there that can rupture and spill out intestines and abdominal organs.

Yay! You got it going on.
I knew you'd be along soon on this thread Eggcessive!

 

[sahensle]

She may be an internal layer or have a hernia. How does the mass feel--soft and spongy, firm, or tight like a drum? If it is tight, she may have fluid or ascites in her lower belly. I have a hen who looks like that, and she has to be cleaned off of droppings occasionally since it catches them. My hen has lived for a couple of years, but she does not lay eggs, and her belly is probably full of lash eggs, egg matter, or fluid. Occasionally, some hens have hernias there that can rupture and spill out intestines and abdominal organs. These types of enlarged masses in that location are fairly common.

It feels squishy

 

[path.otto]

There are several threads that discuss this. If you search for "peritonitis" or "ascites" you will find lots of discussions related to your concern. Good luck!

 

[Silkiesarefluffydinos]

It looks internal... a neghbor's bird has a big bulge like that and a big hole where maggots had burrowed in and she had to be put down. If there is no sign of maggots, or any internal parisites in droppings, or bloody dropings, you should still take her to the vet anyways, and have the vet take poop samples and do some experiments on it to see what it is.

 

[Eggcessive]

Internal laying, salpingitis, egg yolk peritonitis are all related reproductive disorders that affect many of our hens from hatcheries today. The older the hen, the more common. Weight loss in the breast bone (keel) area, loss of appetite, runny poops, and a preference to lie down or separate themselves are common symptoms. Antibiotics can be tried with help of a vet, but most of the time they won't help. With mine, I just try to let them live a natural life, make them comfortable, and I will put them down if they appear to be suffering.