Poopy butt and swollen vent 22 week barred rock hen

[Chickenlearning]

Hi, I’m currently raising my first mixed flock. I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about one of my hens. 22 week barred rock, she’s laid 8 eggs. She started squatting constantly a little over a week ago, doesn’t walk much but is able to, it just looks like she has heavy feet when she wattles around. She is still eating and drinking, but squats down when eating most of the time. Her comb is floppy but still red. When she walks it’s almost like she’s off balance sometimes cause it looks like she’ll put a wing out to balance herself. I just noticed all the feathers around her butt were poopy and it was swollen so I cleaned her up. When I push in on her belly it feels kind of fatty, but it doesn’t seem to cause her distress. And I don’t know what water belly is supposed to feel like to know if that’s what this is, but she does seem have increased work of breathing sometimes. Yesterday was first day she didn’t lay since she started. Any input about what this is, the level of concern I should have, or how to help her would be much appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her lower belly is very enlarged. It could be from fluid (ascites,) or she might have a reproductive infection. Can you insert a clean finger into her vent 1-2 inches, just to rule out a stuck egg? I think that a vet familiar with chickens might be the best way to get a diagnosis, but the swollen belly does not look good. Has she been gasping and has her comb color remained red?

 

[Jeanw]

Poor baby, get better!

 

[nao57]

Is the affected area also wet, or feeling like more moisture than there should be?

 

[Eggcessive]

You could try to see if you could clean off her lower belly with a disinfectant and insert an 18 gauge needle under the skin to try and drain any ascites fluid or see what you get. Ascites fluid is yellow. Sometimes clear colorless fluid may be from cystic right oviduct, a defect. Here is some reading about removing fluid in post 42 of this thread, and below that a video of draining a hen:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites.68731/page-5

 

[Chickenlearning]

Thank you everybody for the input. After trying to feel for any eggs possibly blocking her vent, I found none, despite her not laying now for three days. Her comb was still normal color, but she’s been breathing heavier everyday. After comparing her belly to that of my healthy chickens, it definitely feels like a grapefruit size water balloon. I ended up trying the needle draining due to her increasing work of breathing. It seemed to be working and she was calm but then she ended up passing after several minutes. Even afterwards, she continued to drain quite a bit a fluid, and I feel confident that was what was causing her problem. While it’s unfortunate, at least the rest of the flock is healthy. The only other chick I ever had a problem with was her sister from same batch of chicks, same breed, so maybe that’s coincidence or just dumb luck, but the rest of flock is still healthy and happy. Thanks again for everybody’s input.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. She probably was very far along in her ascites, and it may have been due to a heart problem in her case because she was so young. I recently drained a tiny bantam who was 9 years old and suffering with ascites and gasping. She lived another 2 weeks, but in the end, there was nothing to be done. Doing a necropsy/autopsy after death, you can sometimes see some of the oddities that reproductive disorders or cancer cause. Heart disease causes right sided heart failure and is a common cause of ascites in younger birds.