Severe Bulge Under Chicken's Vent (Pictures) PLEASE HELP!

[SarahKate]

My one year old Red Star has a giant bulge on her backside, under her vent. It is a soft, squishy bulge. I gave her a warm bath and massaged it, and she made no sign that it hurt. Either she has pulled her fluff back there off herself, or it fell out because the bulge is completely missing it's feathers.

This particular hen has always had issues laying. She only lays every other day, and when she does, the egg is enormous! And it has a ring around the middle like she held it in place for a day. She also has trouble when she poops. She is my only hen that constantly has a poopy bottom. That is how we noticed this issue. We went to do our routine cleaning on her bum and noticed the giant bulge.

She doesn't appear to be hurting. I'm not sure if she is eating and drinking like normal because our hens are free range. It has been exceptionally hot here (110 degrees!) for the past 2 weeks, but I've got her in the house with me now, in a room with all the shades drawn so that hopefully she won't try to produce another egg until we can figure this out. She has pooped since being in the house and it is normal-looking poop.

ANY help would be much appreciated. I've included pictures below, hoping that someone else has seen this before and can
help. She is all wet from her bath, but that's the only time you can actually see the bulge on her because she is a big fluffy ckicken. Her vent is at the top, under her tail feathers. There is a small, bloody spot on her bulge at the bottom. I am watching her closely today to see if she will eat and drink. Please help, if you can!

 

[maresmares]

We noticed we had this Big Bulge Butt all of a sudden on one of our chickens. Two experienced breeders did not know what it was, either. I took her to the Vet, and they diagnosed right away, this is a HERNIA. That bulge means a tear in her abdomen and entrails are in that bulge. It is related to the chicken's reproductive cycle (egg laying) and so it does not 'go away;' whatever caused the malfunction will likely happen again. It cannot be taped up or put in a sling. A hernia needs a mesh or sewing repair, just like a human's hernia. In the case of chickens, since it would happen again, the chicken would need a hysterectomy, her girly parts removed. This operation runs into Thousands of dollars. The hernia condition is indeed terminal, as a few people have said in these posts. There will come a time when our girl's bulge will finally burst, causing sudden death. Her everyday-condition is totally normal, no changes in behavior or eating or laying. She used to lay Humonous eggs, ergo the straining and hernia. My job is to keep an eye on her and if she is in pain, send her to chicken heaven.

 

[Stick Chicken]

I once had a wonderful hen who had a problem with something like this. I'm not sure if it was a hernia or something else, but it was horrible to lose her. She was a great pet and would jump on my lap and sunbathe. We tried softening the bulge with a soak, massages, and lotion and it began to diminish in size, and she started to act better, but suddenly she didn't act right anymore and passed. I'm sorry for everyone else who's chickens have had this problem; it's awful to lose someone you love.
As a comment to Bettyboop7499, I understand your point of view, but I don't think I could ever eat any of my birds, especially not one that I hatched and raised as a part of my family. You just can't eat family.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I am sorry to hear about all your loss.

I may be in the minority in this but It horrifies me to think these chickens were left to continue laying eggs, can you even imagine how painful that must have been! Their internal organs busted out! When we choose to raise animals we have a duty to them to do so in the most humane way possible, this includes culling them if need be. My hope is that none of you will ever have to go through this again but should you please consider culling the chicken. At least then the bird can be harvested for dinner and does not go to waste.

This is not meant to criticize just another point of view, I thought I would share

 

[SarahKate]

No luck. We inserted the needle and nothing came out in the syringe except a few droplets of blood. I can't figure out why nothing more came out because it sure looks like she's completely full of liquid! Going to try again in the morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sarah I noticed you posted this around 2011 if you've gotten a response or you figure out what the problem was please let me know thank you vivian

I'm not Sarah, but the poster stated that her hen died a few months later from a hernia. Actually, this was probably a reproductive disorder. In her case no fluid was found in the pouch when she tried to drain it. Do some research on internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis--there are a lot of problems that hens can develop in their reproductive tracts.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I once had a wonderful hen who had a problem with something like this. I'm not sure if it was a hernia or something else, but it was horrible to lose her. She was a great pet and would jump on my lap and sunbathe. We tried softening the bulge with a soak, massages, and lotion and it began to diminish in size, and she started to act better, but suddenly she didn't act right anymore and passed. I'm sorry for everyone else who's chickens have had this problem; it's awful to lose someone you love.
As a comment to Bettyboop7499, I understand your point of view, but I don't think I could ever eat any of my birds, especially not one that I hatched and raised as a part of my family. You just can't eat family.

Oh, I totally understand! My harvesting point was for those who do eat their chickens.

My cat was diagnosed with cancer so I do speak from a place of understanding and empathy. I could keep removing the tumors and let her progress until the cancer killed her by eating away at her brain during which she would be in pain and suffer greatly. I could put her through chemo, radiation and surgery to possibly prolong her life but no garantee and the cancer would eventually enter her bones and organs and brain... I removed the first tumors when the second tumors appeared I choose to euthanize her. Cats hide their pain very well so I couldn't bare the thought of her suffering because I enjoyed having her around and didn't want to let her go. When I read this thread I thought of their suffering...

 

[n8ivetxn]

Give her a warm soak, for at least 20 minutes - use some epsom salt (cheap kind is fine, from any pharmacy or walmart). After, tuck her like a football in your arm (vent in front, for access) and use some veg oil or olive oil on your finger, insert into vent and lube as much as possible. If you can feel the edge of the egg, lube around it as well...

Put her in a crate in a dimly lit area, apply moist heat - a warm blanket with steaming water or a heating pad, something to make her relax.... The dim light will slow down egg production...

Hope this helps your girl

 

[jackandmandy]

I have 2 chickens with the exact same problem! I have read dozens of blogs and forums from people with the same issue. From what Ive read it sounds like ascitis. My hens have had the problem for weeks now, with no change. They eat and drink and interact normally, but have poopy feathers below the vent and the huge, red, squishy bulge. I have considered purchasing antibiotics, and a syringe and attempting to drain the bulge but to be honest I'm a little afraid to do so. Here's a copy of what I read on here....

It could be ascitis (filling with watery fluid). Some cases are caused by serious health issues like liver failure but I have a hen who started filling up with clear water at about a year and half old. I use a needle and syringe and drain her when she does. I used to have to drain her about every three months but then she stops for awhile and then several months may go by. All the while, she is perfectly healthy in all other respects and lays an egg daily. She's so used to getting drained that if I put some food in front of her she will eat while I drain her. I've found it's best to use a larger guage needle and as big a syringe as possible because that way you don't have to stick her as much and you can even unscrew the syringe and the needle can leak on its own.

The first time I drained her, she was so big and so bad off I thought I was going to have to put her down. She was so huge she could no longer walk and I didn't know what to do for her. As a last resort I tried to stick a needle in the huge water balloon hanging below her vent and I got out over a cup of clear water and since I had to stick her so many times, she continued leaking for a while. I placed her on a stack of folded towels and she soaked through all of them. She got right up after that and has been fine ever since. I keep an eye on her because about every three to four months she starts to swell again and I drain her before she gets too big.

Just insert needle into the water balloon that is hanging down. There's no vital organs there and then pull back on the syringe and see what comes out. If it's clear or mostly tinted water, she might be okay with just being drained. If it's thick and can't be drawn out or yolky or bloody, there may be other issues but my suggestion would be to give it a try. It's been two years and my hen is still alive and kicking and laying so I knew she wasn't an internal layer - which would be the other reason for the filling of fluid.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Oh my goodness, I hadn't thought of that....good call. Using the "search" block should produce some results here on BYC. I don't have any personal experience with ascitis, just read about it...