Water Belly or Oviduct Issue?

[lebanonfarmstead]

Hi All,
I would greatly appreciate any guidance on how to diagnose my hen's health issue properly. I noticed yesterday my one-year old barred rock was fighting with another hen (welsummer) while they were free-ranging yesterday, which is very unusual. The welsummer has mild bumblefoot which I treated again, and then checked out the barred rock. She had poopy bottom so I gave her a bath to clean her up. The poop that was stuck on was normal greenish/brown with a little white mixed in. Vent looked totally normal, no discharge. While bathing her I noticed her abdomen was swollen and warm to the touch. After doing hours of research I was convinced it was water belly, although her comb is red, not blue, she doesn't have any breathing issues, her belly is pale, not red. After watching videos and more research I tried to drain the fluid with a syringe. On two attempts, nothing came out. Today, she went into the nesting box but did not lay an egg. I don't know if she laid an egg yesterday. She is free ranging normally, but I can tell her running is off because she's uncomfortable/swollen. Her eyes are bright and clear. Her crop was normal last night and again this morning. I tried to give her a tums yesterday and she only about half a tablet. I don't know if it is truly water belly or if it's some other oviduct issue. When I put the 18 gauge needle in on her right side below her vent, I put it about an inch or so. Could it be that I didn't put the needle in far enough which is why no fluid came out? Looking for any guidance or suggestions on next steps. Thanks everyone.

 

[azygous]

Oh boy. You do need some accurate information.

Water belly caused by a failing liver (ascites) is located mostly in front of and between the legs. The signature of this condition is it pushes the legs apart, resulting in the "penguin" stance. It produces a tell-tale waddle like a duck. Aspirated fluid from the abdomen from this cause is clear and odorless.

Reproductive issues can result in abdominal swelling located behind the legs and below the vent. The typical infection causing this is egg yolk peritonitis (EYP). Often, the swelling can be red and hot. Aspiration of fluid from the abdomen from this cause is brown and foul smelling as it's loaded with bacteria.

When you take a needle syringe to draw fluid out of the abdomen for either of these conditions, you only insert the needle past the outer epidermis, no more than a quarter inch deep, as that is where the fluid accumulates. Jamming a needle an inch deep risks perforating vital organs, and you won't get any fluid that deep. Also, great care needs to be taken so bacteria isn't introduced into the abdomen which can result in a bacterial infection which can kill the chicken in less than 24 hours. You will know if you've caused such an infection by the bright red skin developing around the puncture site. If you see this, an oral antibiotic will be necessary to save the life of your hen.

There is also a somewhat benign cause of swelling below the vent, and that is overweight. Some hens develop a "shelf" of fatty tissue below the vent and it causes poop to accumulate on the feathers there. This is not an illness, although the hen would do better to lose a little weight.

 

[lebanonfarmstead]

Oh boy. You do need some accurate information.

Water belly caused by a failing liver (ascites) is located mostly in front of and between the legs. The signature of this condition is it pushes the legs apart, resulting in the "penguin" stance. It produces a tell-tale waddle like a duck. Aspirated fluid from the abdomen from this cause is clear and odorless.

Reproductive issues can result in abdominal swelling located behind the legs and below the vent. The typical infection causing this is egg yolk peritonitis (EYP). Often, the swelling can be red and hot. Aspiration of fluid from the abdomen from this cause is brown and foul smelling as it's loaded with bacteria.

When you take a needle syringe to draw fluid out of the abdomen for either of these conditions, you only insert the needle past the outer epidermis, no more than a quarter inch deep, as that is where the fluid accumulates. Jamming a needle an inch deep risks perforating vital organs, and you won't get any fluid that deep. Also, great care needs to be taken so bacteria isn't introduced into the abdomen which can result in a bacterial infection which can kill the chicken in less than 24 hours. You will know if you've caused such an infection by the bright red skin developing around the puncture site. If you see this, an oral antibiotic will be necessary to save the life of your hen.

There is also a somewhat benign cause of swelling below the vent, and that is overweight. Some hens develop a "shelf" of fatty tissue below the vent and it causes poop to accumulate on the feathers there. This is not an illness, although the hen would do better to lose a little weight.

Thank you so much for your very helpful and detailed response. We checked the location of the needle puncture and it's not red, not even visible, so hopefully we didn't do her more harm. Her abdomen skin is not red and she is not waddling like a duck or standing/walking like a penguin. The swelling seems both under her and behind her but if I had to say where I think it is more full, I would say behind her legs below the vent.

One detail that may be important is that I had recently switched their feed. They have a rooster that is causing lots of feather loss on the hens backs by the tail and on the shoulders from what I think is over mating (I am looking to rehome him..) Saddles didn't help so I switched their feed to feather fixer for higher protein for about a month or so. I have switched them back to layer feed now (16% protein) but could the higher protein have been the cause of the abdomen swelling? I will obviously keep a close watch for egg laying and other vital health signs. Please let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Thanks again very very much!!

 

[Sussex19]

Could it be vent gleet?
I not as expert but it sounds a bit like it to me. @azygous could that be the cause?

 

[azygous]

No, the short term feeding of high protein would not cause any issues. Those issues show up after long term excessive protein in the diet in the form of chronic kidney issues (gout).

Vent gleet is not a mystery as to what it is when a hen has it. It is foul smelling. It irritates the skin badly. It makes the hen miserable because it burns and itches. She will behave as if she's miserable because she is miserable.

If this hen has EYP, this is such a serious (terminal) infection, she would be acting very sick. Other things can cause these symptoms, too, but all of them make the chicken act sick. (avian virus, cancer, etc)

One thing I keep hammering to overly worried chicken keepers- if your chicken is acting normally and pooping normally and eating normally, chances are very good that nothing is wrong in spite of your worries.