Water belly or just fat?

[MysteryChicken]

Then she does not have water belly, aka ascites. If she did she would have stopped laying eggs.
As you mentioned it could just be breeder quality, which is what I think.
When she runs/walks does she waddle like a penguin at all?

I had a hen that was silently suffering(I didn't know) with Water belly, must've been slow progression. She continued laying, but it wasn't until I saw her with a Giant swollen abdomen, a messy butt, & penguin stance, I realized she had it.
I wasn't taking care of the birds for a short period of time due an injury, it wasn't until I started taking care of them I noticed something was off. I was kind of upset my sister didn't inform me of the sick hen.

The hen was so heavy, she had to lay down every 15 seconds. I put her down, immediately, so she wouldn't suffer anymore. It was like her abdomen was a basketball, but heavy with fluid.

 

[Tookie]

I had a hen that was silently suffering(I didn't know) with Water belly, must've been slow progression. She continued laying, but it wasn't until I saw her with a Giant swollen abdomen, a messy butt, & penguin stance, I realized she had it.
I wasn't taking care of the birds for a short period of time due an injury, it wasn't until I started taking care of them I noticed something was off. I was kind of upset my sister didn't inform me of the sick hen.

The hen was so heavy, she had to lay down every 15 seconds. I put her down, immediately, so she wouldn't suffer anymore. It was like her abdomen was a basketball, but heavy with fluid.

I'll keep that in mind!

 

[MysteryChicken]

I'll keep that in mind!

Yeah, nothing was out of the ordinary, until that day.
I always gave check ups, nothing alarmed me during each one. She's always been alittle fat.

 

[MountainMomma359]

I had a hen that was silently suffering(I didn't know) with Water belly, must've been slow progression. She continued laying, but it wasn't until I saw her with a Giant swollen abdomen, a messy butt, & penguin stance, I realized she had it.
I wasn't taking care of the birds for a short period of time due an injury, it wasn't until I started taking care of them I noticed something was off. I was kind of upset my sister didn't inform me of the sick hen.

The hen was so heavy, she had to lay down every 15 seconds. I put her down, immediately, so she wouldn't suffer anymore. It was like her abdomen was a basketball, but heavy with fluid.

Does the swelling affect the whole underside? Or just portion? Mine seems like it is below the vent....but it isn't swollen or red looking like I have seen in what I can find, it's just more is there than the other girls.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Does the swelling affect the whole underside? Or just portion? Mine seems like it is below the vent....but it isn't swollen or red looking like I have seen in what I can find, it's just more is there than the other girls.

The whole abdominal area.

I have Heritage Plymouth Barred Rocks, the females just seem to carry abit more fat, I think that's just what is going on.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

First off, I am a worry wart, I hope I am blowing this out of proportion in my mind. I have a roughly 7 month old breeder quality (or just not hatchery) barred rock. She is a big girl compared to our hatchery buff orpingtons. I have to trim and clean her booty sometimes cause it gets dirty easy with the thick feathers. Today I had to clean her a bit and though her bottom just under her vent feels plump. No baldness or redness. She acts fine. Since she matured she has been heavier, I assume because she has better breeding? What are the odds it's water belly so young? Or could it just be fat? I'll try to get a better look at it tomorrow in the daylight.

Make sure that you are feeding mostly layer or all flock feed, and not many treats.

THIS!
Heritage Barred Rocks (and hatchery ones too) seem to have a bit more of a fat pad and they can be hoggish too, so provide her with a nutritionally balanced poultry feed. I like giving an all flock that's 18-20% since they seem to do better with more protein.