Hi everyone! I'm new to back yard chickens and new to having chickens as well. I have three chickens and it's been two years since I started my chicken journey. It's been easy sailing so far and then about two weeks ago I noticed that one of my lady's was acting a little strange. She was always out of the coop along with the others but I noticed she would take a really long time to get out and when she did her tail was down. Other than that she was acting normal. I felt her abdomen and it felt swollen with a slight hard area on her left side. I figured she was egg bout so I gave her a warm bath and put her in a dog kennel in a quiet corner of the house. Once she was isolated I was able to see that her poo is either very small or it's just a milky white liquid. Like I said before it's been two weeks and after two more warm baths she still isn't getting any better. She doesn't seem lethargic and is still eating, drinking, and cleaning her feathers. She gets up walks around then sits on the floor for a while pruning her tail is still down and her abdomen is still swollen. I have feed her yogurt, kale, oregano, sprouted lentils, and brown rice. I know that if she were egg bound it wouldn't last this long so I am at a total loss as to what's wrong. If anyone can help that would be great. Thank you
Welcome to BYC! Egg yolk peritonitis is common condition in old hens causing a swollen abdomen,Penguin walking movements and whitish poop.Sadly there is no cure for this condition and birds have to be culled.The diet she has needs to be changed to High Protein Layer feed with the occasional egg and tuna.Dont give her anymore baths.Im sorry you're going through this.Will have to see what other's say. Egg yolk peritonitis links https://www.beautyofbirds.com/eggyolkperitonitis.html https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/526089/egg-yolk-peritonitis
Welcome to BYC as well. It may well be a reproductive disorder as previously posted. Also, check her crop for fullness or impaction, and note her droppings for any grassy bits. I lost a hen awhile back with a gizzard impaction from eating sunflower seeds. Today I lost another to a gizzard impaction combined with a crop blockage, so a lump in her belly may also be a gizzard blockage. Watch her closely, try to get her to drink water and probiotics. Let us know how the crop feels and again in early morning.
I had a similar issue with one of my chickens. Swollen abdomen, feather loss, thin--I even got a better feed and she was eating fine. One day she was acting a little odd, waddling and then sat in the corner and acted like she was pushing so I thought she was egg bound, had given her a warm bath and tried some ky jelly to help.. felt what I thought was an egg, took her to vet and it turned out to be a tumor and fluid in her lungs. It was the beginning of very bad cancer. She quickly went from 0 to 10 in a matter of hours, the poor girl <3 Hope this might help.
