RIR w/ Swollen Back End

[omga747]

Hi there. One of my 2 year old RIRs has been a little bit off lately, and today I noticed her back end was quite swollen and tight as if it were a water balloon. For the past couple weeks she's not been laying eggs even though she goes to sit in the nest every day. She's a bit on the smaller end and averages only about 4.5 lb, but today she weighed in at 5 lb 3 oz. Also tended to have pretty watery poops lately. Still generally acting normal otherwise: dust baths, scratching around the yard, coming running for treats, etc. What do the experts think might be causing this and what can/should I do about it? Thanks

 

[Anime2lover]

Hi there. One of my 2 year old RIRs has been a little bit off lately, and today I noticed her back end was quite swollen and tight as if it were a water balloon. For the past couple weeks she's not been laying eggs even though she goes to sit in the nest every day. She's a bit on the smaller end and averages only about 4.5 lb, but today she weighed in at 5 lb 3 oz. Also tended to have pretty watery poops lately. Still generally acting normal otherwise: dust baths, scratching around the yard, coming running for treats, etc. What do the experts think might be causing this and what can/should I do about it? Thanks

When you feel her abdomen, what does it feel like? Do you feel anything hard like an egg? Like she's egg bound? Is it squishy and jiggly like it would be for water belly? Is she injured in that area?

 

[omga747]

I didn't feel anything like an egg in there. Very water balloon-ish.

 

[omga747]

Update: We suspected ascetis, and a needle and syringe confirmed lots of yellowish liquid in the abdomen. We removed about 6 oz (weight) from her yesterday evening and kept her in a recovery pen inside the house overnight. She kept dripping and as of this morning is still dripping a bit. She's down 13 oz to weigh 4 lb 6 oz. Not much appetite but a little perkier than yesterday.

 

[Anime2lover]

Update: We suspected ascetis, and a needle and syringe confirmed lots of yellowish liquid in the abdomen. We removed about 6 oz (weight) from her yesterday evening and kept her in a recovery pen inside the house overnight. She kept dripping and as of this morning is still dripping a bit. She's down 13 oz to weigh 4 lb 6 oz. Not much appetite but a little perkier than yesterday.

We had a hen with water belly. It tends to squish all the organs...

 

[omga747]

And another update: Third morning after draining, through trial and error we found the only things she'll eat are bread and live bugs. Not even dried mealworms. Tail is still up, and she's mildly active and pretty attentive. The big issue now though is that her crop does not seem to be emptying. Her crop has been half full (hasn't eaten all that much) and mushy the last two mornings, and her poops are just liquid and bile. I don't smell sour crop, but I know that doesn't necessarily rule it out. Any tips to get things moving from here?

 

[omga747]

A little over a month later and we thought we were out of the woods... Since the last post she had started eating again, gotten her weight back to normal, and even started laying again! Then last Sunday she laid a normal egg and then this thing later in the afternoon. It was basically egg white encased in a noodle-like membrane.

No eggs since then, watery poop, and seems to be showing the earliest signs of filling with liquid again. Still very lively and active with a good appetite though. Might be time to drain again before things get any worse.

 

[Anime2lover]

A little over a month later and we thought we were out of the woods... Since the last post she had started eating again, gotten her weight back to normal, and even started laying again! Then last Sunday she laid a normal egg and then this thing later in the afternoon. It was basically egg white encased in a noodle-like membrane.

No eggs since then, watery poop, and seems to be showing the earliest signs of filling with liquid again. Still very lively and active with a good appetite though. Might be time to drain again before things get any worse.

Ascites does that. Unfortunately it will always build up again.)