What am I feeling?

[Murphyslaw123]

I have a 4 year old EE. Molted last Fall as usual, came back to lay in Jan/Feb for just a few times and hasn't laid since. She is eating, drinking, dust bathing, and pooping. She did have a doughy crop issue about 2 weeks ago but came out of that fine with some help. She had been wormed in the Spring.

Last night I picked her up because I noticed some dried poop on her feathers. so I cleaned that off for her. While I was doing that, I felt a mass in her abdomen. I was holding her with her head tucked under my arm facing the opposite direction as me. With my other hand I could feel the mass in her belly, not near her vent. Same size and shape as an egg, but it's low in her abdomen - not where I'd expect to feel an egg if she was egg bound. She's not acting egg bound, still doing all of her chicken-y things. I did give her some calcium in case. I don't feel a ton of fluid in there - I've already lost one to ascites (maybe peritonitis) and she's not full like that, nor is she walking like a penguin.

What could I be feeling? My other birds don't have this. While it feels exactly like an egg, the anatomy diagrams tell me it can't be. I don't know how long she's had it. She's a skittish little thing, therefore we don't pick her up much at all. Any ideas? Maybe a tumor or something? It's really firm and smooth through her skin. We aren't doing a vet. She's happy and comfortable and when she no longer is, we will end that for her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just my thoughts:
It could be Peritonitis, cancer, a tumor or something similar.
You may be just noticing and it's not advanced enough for her to show distress or symptoms yet.
If she were mine and is eating, drinking, pooping and doing her sweet chicken-y things, seems happy and comfortable, then I would leave her be. I like you would love and enjoy her until the time comes when she's not doing well.


http://www.hobbyfarms.com/6-causes-of-swollen-abdomen-in-chickens-2/

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Thanks for getting back to me with your thoughts. I'm in agreement with all of it. Hope she lets me know when she's not up to doing this anymore. Right now, other than the absence of laying eggs, she seems just fine!

 

[Murphyslaw123]

Just a little update: Over the past two weeks, we realized that she (Holley Shiftwell) was losing weight and was uninterested in eating anything, except for a small bite of tomato or a few mealworms from time to time. She was no longer drinking, and I haven't seen her poop anything but water in days. She quit dust bathing. Her walk was reduced to a waddle and you could see her abdomen was swollen. It's always a struggle for me to know when they are ready, but I believed today was her time. Just had my husband take her out back and relieved that suffering for her. The worst part is always telling my 8 year old.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just a little update: Over the past two weeks, we realized that she (Holley Shiftwell) was losing weight and was uninterested in eating anything, except for a small bite of tomato or a few mealworms from time to time. She was no longer drinking, and I haven't seen her poop anything but water in days. She quit dust bathing. Her walk was reduced to a waddle and you could see her abdomen was swollen. It's always a struggle for me to know when they are ready, but I believed today was her time. Just had my husband take her out back and relieved that suffering for her. The worst part is always telling my 8 year old.

I'm so sorry for your loss