Possible water belly??

[Layenna and chicks]

Hi! This is my first thread, and I really need help! Think my sweet girl has water belly. I'm not sure. She may just be fat? She is having trouble breathing, and she is not walking. She has been having troubles like these for abt me and a half weeks. Her belly is not squishy like water belly. As, know she is not egg bound. Her crop is no at all full, its empty.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out. Led me get you a big help @Eggcessive

 

[LaFleche]

Hi! This is my first thread, and I really need help! Think my sweet girl has water belly. I'm not sure. She may just be fat? She is having trouble breathing, and she is not walking. She has been having troubles like these for abt me and a half weeks. Her belly is not squishy like water belly. As, know she is not egg bound. Her crop is no at all full, its empty.

Welcome to the BYC community!

How old is she, when did she last lay an egg and has she ever had issues with forming a proper egg shell?

Trying to push out a shell less egg can be very difficult for a hen and make her feel extremely uncomfortable, breathing very hard and having a hard time to walk.

What exactly are youu feeding and do your chickens have crushed oyster shell and granite grit available free choice?

 

[Layenna and chicks]

She us 3 years old, and we feed them a variety of foods. We do have oyster shells available for them. I have not been keeping an eye on her laying, but I don't feel an egg. She us feeling really fat, though.

 

[CurlyChickenGirly]

Welcome to BYC! Sorry about your hen.

 

[Layenna and chicks]

Welcome to BYC! Sorry about your hen.

It's alright!! That's nature I guess. I'll try to help her as much as I can, but she's going downhill.

 

[Layenna and chicks]

Welcome to the BYC community!

How old is she, when did she last lay an egg and has she ever had issues with forming a proper egg shell?

Trying to push out a shell less egg can be very difficult for a hen and make her feel extremely uncomfortable, breathing very hard and having a hard time to walk.

What exactly are youu feeding and do your chickens have crushed oyster shell and granite grit available free choice?

She's 3. Not egg bound. Has access to oyster shells. Feels more like fat than anything. Anything, any directions or help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Eggcessive]

It can be hard to know exactly what is going on for sure. Can you tell us if she can walk at all, if she waddles and sits a lot, or if she has curled under toes or walks on her hocks? Have you tried a chicken sling? Does she have labored breathing? That can be common with ascites (water belly.) I had a hen once with fatty liver disease on necropsy, and she also had water belly. I don’t usually try to drain a hen with ascites since there is risk of infection or death, but it is a way to relieve labored breathing and to confirm the yellow fluid of water belly. How long did you say she has been like this? Do you have a vet who might help? Can you offer some watery chicken feed and cooked egg once she is taking fluids?

 

[Layenna and chicks]

I am quite worried for my hen. She's not responding much.

It can be hard to know exactly what is going on for sure. Can you tell us if she can walk at all, if she waddles and sits a lot, or if she has curled under toes or walks on her hocks? Have you tried a chicken sling? Does she have labored breathing? That can be common with ascites (water belly.) I had a hen once with fatty liver disease on necropsy, and she also had water belly. I don’t usually try to drain a hen with ascites since there is risk of infection or death, but it is a way to relieve labored breathing and to confirm the yellow fluid of water belly. How long did you say she has been like this? Do you have a vet who might help?

She has been not walking since 2pm today. I got her to walk one step, but that s it. I haven't tried a chicken sling. Can't afford a vet. Yes ,labored breathing. Been like this s for a weeek

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try to get her drinking some electrolytes or sugar water, and then eating in the morning. You canntey to drain her with an 18 or 20 gaguge needle and syringe after disinfecting her belly. But water belly is usually fatal eventually. It happens from reproductive disorders such as salpingitis or egg yolk peritonitis, cancer, fatty liver disease, or heart failure. Here in post 13 are some pictures of draining a hen with water belly:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hen-with-extremely-bloated-abdomen.946026/page-2