4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mountainboarddude]

i have a rhode island red hen who is about 2 1/2-3 yrs old, she had an infection a while back and we took her to the vets and it cleared up. the infection was on her skin under her belly, between her legs and now around her legs is very enlarged alomost swollen like and she has trouble walking properly as she seems to rock from side to side as her legs are so large. does anyine have any ideas what it could be. she is eating and drinking ok but her appetite does not seem to be up to what it usually is. any hel would be much appreciated.

thanks

[chelsea]

I have a hen (Ella) who has suffered from sterile peritonitis for 18 months. Symptoms are - red swollen bum (under the vent) a swollen under carriage that makes her waddle, when she lies down her comb goes purple as the pressure of the fluid makes it hard to breathe.

 

Do you think your hen has this

 

Ella has good and bad spells, on the whole she leads a normal chicken life as during the winter & moult and non laying spell the fluid build up is absorbed by her body and she looks perfectly normal - worst time of the year is prime laying time during the summer.

 

There is no cure for sterile peritonitis, Ella has Baytril for her worse episodes from the vet. There is a sticky on sterile peritonitis in chicken health I believe.

[sandyhas3chucks]

some slow softee exits can get hard swollen look too. as I think(not seen) could egg binding. My Moe looks like that and there is something a bit stuck (not meaning to worry you) she could pop it out on her own. Also Egg periyonitis ef swells up, but they get poorly pretty quick whilst inside is kind of going bad, & that would need a vet pretty darn soon in the morning for antibiotics, but you will know I think, mine looked dreadful, the vet didn't think she would make it but she did. If you are worried still in the morning I would pop her to the vet.

[Egluntyne]

The symptoms you describe are typical of sterile peritonitis. I would recommend that you take her to a vet as she will need treatment if this is what it is.

 

In any case a professional opinion would be advisable.

[mountainboarddude]

ok, thanks for all of your help, i will monitor her progress and see how she goes and if she gets worse i will take her to the vets. but i just wandered if it can spread to any of the other hens i have or will they all be ok together. thanks

[The Dogmother]

If that's what it is, then it won't spread to your other birds, but it's best to take her to the vet if she's having trouble walking.

[mountainboarddude]

ok, thanks for everyones help, she is alright today but if she starts to deteriorate then i will take her to the vet.