Pullet with Swollen Abdomen

[HeyHo]

Barred Rock pullet, 9.5 months old. Flock leader of 6, all the same age. Been spending a lot of time in the nesting box the past couple of days. I thought she laid yesterday but I could be wrong. Today we noticed that the area below her vent is very swollen. It was hard to tell looking, but I felt all their bums for comparison. Hers is much larger, like a baseball and squishy. I put put a finger in her vent about an inch and felt absolutely no egg. I have her in the house, she is eating and drinking. Below is her currently and her last poop (yellow and foamy). She is moving around fine and otherwise acting like her normal self.

I feed flock raiser, oyster shell on the side. Limited treats, mostly greens and scratch.

If I can't feel an egg and she's eating, moving around OK, do I still giver her an epsom salt bath? Any thoughts appreciated! TIA.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t think higher protein is related to ascites. Ascites is related to either heart failure, or liver failure associated with egg yolk peritonitis or internal laying. Feeding 16-20% is fine for chickens. Feeding excessive protein can be related to gout and kidney problems.

An enlarged abdomen can be anything from excess fat, to internal laying, to fluid.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep her with her flock and just keep an eye on her. If she stays in a nest box for a long period again, then recheck for egg bound. Feel of the abdomen to feel if it is tight or spongy. I have had a couple of hens with enlarged lower bellies. It is good to keep track of them if they are laying or not. Reproductive disorders and ascites are very common in hens. Usually, they will stop laying altogether or may have eggs with no shell or thin shells, and sometimes odd eggs.

 

[3clucks]

Unfortunately I can’t offer any advice on this issue but I have an Ayam Cemani hen that has this same issue and am at a loss as to what it could be, I have checked for water belly using a syringe and nothing came out, my only other guess is that it could be a hernia...I have been soaking her in Epsom salts every day and have been putting Vaseline on the area because when I went out there the other day it was bloody so I cleaned it thinking my other hens may have picked at her. When I first noticed it the feathers around the area were cakey and it was red and bumpy I also checked for possible mites and there was none. She has been acting normal as well as eating and drinking, and still lays her occasional egg or two.

 

[HeyHo]

@3clucks so sorry you are dealing with this too! Hopefully someone will weigh in with advice for us. I fear ascites. Because she was her usual self, I put her back in the coop, so she's roosting now with the other girls. She had a normal poop while she was in with me. Fingers crossed.

 

[HeyHo]

@Mtn-maiden
@CarpCharacin

Does epsom soak help ascites? I haven’t read that. So maybe if that helped she’s got something different?

My girl’s bum feels like a water balloon and she seems to show all the classic symptoms. I’m just taking a wait and see approach.

 

[HeyHo]

@Eggcessive thanks for the reply! I will just watch her for now. I thought she was spending time in the nesting box lately because she was feeling broody. One of my barred rocks has been feathering the nest, and since she's been spending so much time in there, I presumed it was her. I will make a point to figure out if/when she is laying.

 

[HeyHo]

Another question -- if it is ascites, I've read that can be related to protein in the diet. Would it be worthwhile to switch from 20% flock raiser to a lower-protein layer feed to help her? Or has the damage already been done and I should just stay the course?

 

[HeyHo]

I don’t think higher protein is related to ascites. Ascites is related to either heart failure, or liver failure associated with egg yolk peritonitis or internal laying. Feeding 16-20% is fine for chickens. Feeding excessive protein can be related to gout and kidney problems.

An enlarged abdomen can be anything from excess fat, to internal laying, to fluid.

OK thanks, I'll stick with my feed choice then.

 

[HeyHo]

Just an update. My pullet is doing well -- sassy, eating, drinking, etc. Her abdomen seems to be about the same size and still squishy. She is laying about every other day (which is her norm). But she does seem to have fallen from #1 to #2 in the pecking order. I have never seen one of my other girls challenge her, so I feel like the social climbers know something is not quite right with her.

I will continue to monitor closely, but I don't want to do anything unless I need to since she is so lively and active (and dislikes being handled).