Wellsummer hen blown up?!?!?

[silkymom1986]

I have 6 2 month old wellsummer hens, this morning when I went out to check on them and feed them, one looks like it's blown up like a balloon, she is walking around some and eating, it go down to the twenty's here last night, could that have something to do with it?? I don't know what to do, please help!!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Is it her entire body or is it her crop (front right chest) area? Pictures would be helpful. What I do for any bird in distress is get them on a heating pad or under a heat lamp, give them electrolytes and vitamins OR polyvisol without iron. Keep them warm, well fed, and stress free. Apart from that, I don't have any more advice. I'll leave that up to the more seasoned chicken owners.

 

[silkymom1986]

It's her whole body, I took a pic on my phone, but I can't get it on here, I'm gonna try and take one wth computer

 

[roxyblue]

are her feathers puffed out? sometimes they will poof out their feathers to try and stay warmer.

 

[CMV]

Is there visible air under her skin?

 

[silkymom1986]

here is a pic, I can't tell if there is air under her skin, how can i tell?

 

[silkymom1986]

Well????

 

[roxyblue]

I can't really tell you anything from the pic, sorry. I would just get my fingers through her feathers and gently push on her skin. If it feels like there is muscle underneath and the skin is quite hard I would make sure it not anything more then her puffing out her feathers. However if you can FEEL the air through her skin (bounceback, pretty "mushy") then something is wrong. Please seperate her if she is acting sick, it will help protect your other hens.

 

[Chinchilla2]

Pick her up and see if she goes flat again. It could be just super fluffed feathers. If not, hopefully someone will come along and help you out.

 

[silkymom1986]

I put a heating pad under her, I felt her back, it feels hard, and her feathers are kinda puffed up. She's walking around a little....I dunno what to do.