Swollen abdomen in in 6 month old RI Red Hen

[Lowcountry Chickens]

I noticed that one of my chickens didn't have the fluffy feathers under her tail and when I picked her up, her abdomen was totally featherless and looked swollen. I felt around in case this meant that she had an egg stuck inside, but didn't feel anything. She perky otherwise. Is something bad going on with her. I'm brand new to this and they just started laying within the last 3 weeks or so. Many thanks,

 

[katrinag]

Has she been eating normal? Can you post a picture? Has she layed and eggs in the last couple days?

 

[Lowcountry Chickens]

I really don't know. She's one of 22. I let them out when I got home from work and she was grazing normally. I just noticed bare skin. Will get picture and send it in a minute. Thanks so much for answering.

 

[katrinag]

I know sometime when the go broody the will pluck there chest and tummy feather.

 

[Lowcountry Chickens]

This picture is of her rear end. Tail is at the top of the photo. The dark patch looks almost like a small dark purple bruise. She has a couple of these in this bare area and it seems swollen. Otherwise seems alert and fine.

 

[Lowcountry Chickens]

Also when I just took her out of the box to transfer to an isolation cage there was a normal poop in the box so I don't think it could be anything like constipation.

 

[katrinag]

Have you noticed any broody behavior?

 

[hinkjc]

Is the swollen area squishy or hard?

Jody

 

[katrinag]

Is it hot?

 

[Lowcountry Chickens]

I've been at work and just got home. It's warm, but not red. It is soft to the touch. I did check her for impacted eggs and it was empty. Later she laid an egg! There was an unusually huge poop in her cage. A friend looked at her and said she thought she had just plucked out her feathers, but when I touch the back of the "normal" chickens, they feel bony instead of squishy. She hasn't seemed broody, but I moved her to a cage in the house so hard to say. Do you think I should re introduce her to the coop? Do I need to worry about them pecking the bare skin?