Saggy abdomen

[Solanacae]

At what point in time should I be concerned about a hen with a saggy abdomen?

I have a 10 month EE who is currently laying like a champ and acts perfectly normal - active, curious, chatty, loves to forage, etc. I noticed that her abdomen is getting saggy and that she had some poop stuck to her feathers. I washed off the feathers, gave her a blow dry, daughter gave her some nail polish on her claws because she was there in the bathroom getting a spa treatment.

While I was cleaning her up, I felt her abdomen, it doesn’t seem overly squishy, but it does sag down below her keel bone. She gets layer pellets, and has free access to veggie scraps that I throw on the compost pile, calcium and grit. I occasionally throw a few handfuls of scratch out for her and the other 9 ladies, but never more than once a day and most of the time every other day. They don’t free range but have a very large run with lots of dead leaves to dig through right now.

Aside from the saggy abdomen, she has none of the other symptoms of ascites, so either I’m noticing the early onset or maybe it’s something else? Any insights would be appreciated. I’ll get a picture of her tomorrow and post it.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would stop the extras and just feed the layer feed. Maybe give a spoonful of scratch as a treat occasionally. Compost piles can have moldy food, and that can lead to illnesses such as mold poisoning, botulism, and overeating. She could be fat and fat hens may not be the healthiest or lay the best. Fatty liver disease can also be common.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a 10 month EE who is currently laying like a champ and acts perfectly normal - active, curious, chatty, loves to forage, etc.

Saggy bottom may be fat.
Cut the scratch back some more since they don't free roam.

 

[Solanacae]

I would stop the extras and just feed the layer feed. Maybe give a spoonful of scratch as a treat occasionally. Compost piles can have moldy food, and that can lead to illnesses such as mold poisoning, botulism, and overeating. She could be fat and fat hens may not be the healthiest or lay the best. Fatty liver disease can also be common.

Saggy bottom may be fat.
Cut the scratch back some more since they don't free roam.

Her keel bone sticks out plenty, I’ve never had concerns about her being fat. Can she be fat even with a prominent keel bone?

 

[Eggcessive]

You would have to be the judge of that. Does her breast tissue seem full next to the keel? If she seems to be doing well, I would not worry too much. But layer feed should make up at least 90% of her diet.

 

[Solanacae]

You would have to be the judge of that. Does her breast tissue seem full next to the keel? If she seems to be doing well, I would not worry too much. But layer feed should make up at least 90% of her diet.

No, the breast tissue slopes away from the keel. I’ll cut back even more on the scratch, and the reason I was giving them veggie scraps was because that’s the only fresh food they get right now. Spring/summer/fall they get to roam around the backyard and forage but this time of year I keep them on their side of the fence so they don’t rip up the dormant grass. They’ve got at least 500 sq ft in their run, and are great help shredding all the leaves I threw in for them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Fat accumulates in the abdomen. (saggy bottom)

https://the-chicken-chick.com/chickens-obesity-silent-killer-how-to/

Note, the fat in the Abdomen. Not the breast.
https://hencam.com/henblog/2015/07/fatty-liver-disease-in-hens/

 

[Solanacae]

Thanks for your help @Eggcessive and @Wyorp Rock!