Road Island Red Hen Bloated

[Roddonna]

Good day to you all.

My wife an I have been keeping an eye on our RIR for a couple of days. We noticed her rear had some Extra Fecal matter on it so we have been making sure nothing attacked her.

I went in to feed an water them today and she was acting normal so I picked her up and noticed that she had a bloated Belly.
I did You tube Egg binding. and gave her 2 baths and used the Olive oil and have now recently used the Finger method and didn't feel an egg and her belly is not hard. I have pushed on it to see about an egg and nothing.

When i inserted my finger feces came out. so from what I have read that would be closed if there was an egg stuck. she has been eating and drinking.

I have her now in her own pen with food water and Rolaids in her food.

any incite would be helpful. she is such a loveable bird.

Thanks.

 

[cafarmgirl]

A bloated belly usually means fluid is accumulating in the body cavities, aka ascites. This can have several causes, anything from internal laying to heart/circulatory problems or problems/disease of other major organs such as the liver or kidneys as well as tumors/cancers. Sometimes the fluid becomes infected and peritonitis develops, sometimes it does not. The fluid can be drained off which does make them more comfortable and can buy them some time, depending on the underlying cause. However, it does not cure the underlying cause so it always comes back eventually.

Has this bird been laying regularly?

If you by chance have access to an avian vet who could examine and x-ray her you would get a better idea of what is going on inside her.

Vent gleet can also cause redness and swelling around and below the vent area, usually also comes with a nasty discharge as well.

 

[missypebble]

I agree with cafarmgirl's response. Please, please, please act immediately on your hen before it's too late. I recently lost mine but it was because I acted on it too late and didn't pay attention to little signs and because I thought she would somehow be well again - so wrong and I wish you do not make the same mistake I did. A bloated belly is never a good thing, but if you take immediate care, you'll save your chicken's life. Good luck and please, do not wait around for more signs - but to take her to the vet to get more directions!

 

[Roddonna]

Thank you for the responses. Getting her treated ASAP if possible.

 

[missypebble]

I'm no expert, but I'll tell you some pointers I gathered from reading other "expert/ experienced" chickens' keepers:
While you're waiting to get your hen to the vet, please isolate her and definitely make her feel comfortable, less stress. Don't allow others to bother her/ peck her. Let her stay in her own "cage/ coop" in quiet. Try to find ways to give her extra vitamins. I've read others chop fresh garlic and put it in the water - garlic has many natural benefits and although we don't know exactly what caused the problem for your hen, this will assist her system somehow. Research on this forum about milk thistle extract as well. If you're feeding her feed with soy/ corn, please take that away from her for now. If you can get mash that has no soy, corn, that is much better for her. Please keep us posted and do not give up on your hen, but please don't wait too much longer - she really needs to be drained immediately, then you can see how she does - if you still feel a "mass" in her abdomen after the drainage, you really need to let the vet knows, or the vet should has already known that.... Take care of your girl!

 

[cafarmgirl]

To be honest, I would not change her food nor separate her from her flock at this point, especially if she's acting normal other then being bloated. If she's moving about, eating/drinking then I'd just let her be.