swollen belly! please help

[babychick1]

i left a message earlier about my chicken walking funny and i finally got to inspect her, her stomach i super swollen, like a water balloon. that's why she was walking funny, what can i do?

 

[Kiki]

i left a message earlier about my chicken walking funny and i finally got to inspect her, her stomach i super swollen, like a water balloon. that's why she was walking funny, what can i do?

Probably not much.


Have you heard of ascites?


How old is your bird and what exactly do you feed her?

 

[babychick1]

she's almost 3 years old, i feed her a 16% laying feed and vegetables and crackers for a treat.

 

[babychick1]

i just started reading about ascites, not very encouraging. should i cull her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

i left a message earlier about my chicken walking funny and i finally got to inspect her, her stomach i super swollen, like a water balloon. that's why she was walking funny, what can i do?

i just started reading about ascites, not very encouraging. should i cull her?

Is she in pain?
Is she laying eggs?
Is she lethargic?

Fluid in the abdomen - Ascites, can be caused by a number of things - it's a symptom.
Organ dysfunction (heart/liver) and reproductive disorders (Peritonitis, Cancer, etc.) can have a symptom of fluid in the abdomen.

A lot depends on what and why you have poultry. Are they for food/production - Livestock? Are they pets? Are they a mixture of both - Pet Livestock?
Asking yourself these questions would be a good idea - then you will know whether to give supportive care or to cull.

IF Livestock and she's not producing at all - then economically - it's not practical to keep her, so culling may be your best option.

If she's a Pet or Pet Livestock and She's not in pain, can eat/drink on her own, is relatively active and bright within herself - then offering supportive care may be the way to go.
Sometimes fluid can be drained to give relief and comfort, BUT there are risks (of course). If she's still moving around and acting o.k. - it really may not even be time to drain her - you will have to gauge her condition or consult a vet. If she's having trouble breathing, has crop issues, is lethargic, etc. then the decision to drain is a little easier. While not a cure, it can extend life and make the bird more comfortable.
Detox is another option and may be something to look into, especially if she's not at the stage to be drained yet. You can find info on that here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...breath-if-you-hold-her.1284253/#post-20750855

 

[babychick1]

we got her for egg laying, but they're mainly pets, i don't think she was producing anymore. i can tell she was in pain by the way she was walking and her breathing was very labored and she was very lethargic, she kept laying her head on me when i was holding her. she died later that night, but if the issue arises again, i will definitely try draining the chicken, thank you for you response and help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

we got her for egg laying, but they're mainly pets, i don't think she was producing. i can tell she was in pain by the way she was walking and her breathing was very labored and she was very lethargic, she kept laying her head on me when i was holding her. she died later that night, but if the issue arises again, i will definitely try draining the chicken, thank you for you response and help.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[babychick1]

thank you, i appreciate it.