Swollen abdomen

[Funnyfarm1995]

Hey guys. My harlequin Rosie just randomly popped up with a swollen tummy. She’s just over 6 months old and eats 17% organic feed and receives a niacin supplement. No new changes to diet, and all of her treats are also organic. They do get out and free range on about 3/4 of an acre supervised by my husband or myself with the other birds. No symptoms in anyone else currently. She’s a very happy healthy baby. Don’t let her little attitude in the picture fool you. We just brought her in from outside for a warm bath to see if that helped her belly. Her belly is soft and she lets me rub her down and check her over, and I don’t see or feel anything that would indicate an abdominal injury. I’ve seen egg bound and water belly as the two biggest culprits. She was running around like a little lunatic per usual this morning with her sisters, but didn’t want to get in the pond this afternoon and she’s slowed down a lot. Any ideas?

 

[Tookie]

Is she laying eggs yet?
With duck hens often times when they are near to laying, or are laying, their abdomens will get a bit bigger and lower to the ground. My hens have this, I have Welshies too. So its likely nothing to worry about and has to do with egg laying. Although do keep an eye on it anyways and see if it gets bigger.

 

[Funnyfarm1995]

Is she laying eggs yet?
With duck hens often times when they are near to laying, or are laying, their abdomens will get a bit bigger and lower to the ground. My hens have this, I have Welshies too. So its likely nothing to worry about and has to do with egg laying. Although do keep an eye on it anyways and see if it gets bigger.

Good Morning! She is laying. They all started around the end of July. She’s truly so healthy and still has lots of energy, but on Sunday I noticed that she was walking more bow legged than she even does normally and she was quiet and acting like she was in pain. Brought her in and put her in the bath, and then she was hollering to go back outside. She isn’t bow legged she just looks like she is. She is still laying. Egg shells are good and yolk and white look good. Checked them this morning. We have a bigger basement and have a big chicken coop/run combo down there for sick/injured birds to come in and take a rest, so she’s in there with one of our Pekins and a chicken who permanently lives inside. Our exotics vet said to pop in with her on Saturday morning, so just to be on the safe side we’re gonna run her in to see him. Do you know of any sure signs I’m dealing with water belly that I need to watch for while she’s hanging out inside with us?

 

[Tookie]

Good Morning! She is laying. They all started around the end of July. She’s truly so healthy and still has lots of energy, but on Sunday I noticed that she was walking more bow legged than she even does normally and she was quiet and acting like she was in pain. Brought her in and put her in the bath, and then she was hollering to go back outside. She isn’t bow legged she just looks like she is. She is still laying. Egg shells are good and yolk and white look good. Checked them this morning. We have a bigger basement and have a big chicken coop/run combo down there for sick/injured birds to come in and take a rest, so she’s in there with one of our Pekins and a chicken who permanently lives inside. Our exotics vet said to pop in with her on Saturday morning, so just to be on the safe side we’re gonna run her in to see him. Do you know of any sure signs I’m dealing with water belly that I need to watch for while she’s hanging out inside with us?

Its a good thing she's acting pretty normal! I know what you mean about the bow leggedness, sometimes mine look like that.
I haven't delt with water belly in ducks since I'm new to them but I've had it in my chickens. When I've had it in my chickens they had a messy bottom, it looked and felt bigger, their legs got a bit farther apart and they waddled when they walked, and at some point they got labored breathing. So I would just watch for those symptoms although I'm not sure if ducks will get all those exact same things.
But, there are a few different illnesses that can cause a bloated abdomen, such as egg yolk peritonitis, internal laying, and salpingitis. But I would not worry about any of those issues since she's laying.

 

[Funnyfarm1995]

Its a good thing she's acting pretty normal! I know what you mean about the bow leggedness, sometimes mine look like that.
I haven't delt with water belly in ducks since I'm new to them but I've had it in my chickens. When I've had it in my chickens they had a messy bottom, it looked and felt bigger, their legs got a bit farther apart and they waddled when they walked, and at some point they got labored breathing. So I would just watch for those symptoms although I'm not sure if ducks will get all those exact same things.
But, there are a few different illnesses that can cause a bloated abdomen, such as egg yolk peritonitis, internal laying, and salpingitis. But I would not worry about any of those issues since she's laying.

We were thankfully able to get her in with our OTHER exotics vet tomorrow at 9:30am in conjunction with our other duck that decided developing a weird illness sounded like a good time. So we’ll have an answer early tomorrow! I’ll let you know what the outcome is. Thank you for your help!

 

[Tookie]

We were thankfully able to get her in with our OTHER exotics vet tomorrow at 9:30am in conjunction with our other duck that decided developing a weird illness sounded like a good time. So we’ll have an answer early tomorrow! I’ll let you know what the outcome is. Thank you for your help!

Glad to hear, and glad I could help! I hope she's alright!