Ex battery hen with swollen back end! Picture included.

[marlene]

This is my friends ex battery hen pebbles that she rescued 3 days ago. This is what my friend had to say......."Pebbles seems to be in the wars, when we got her she had a bulge underneath which someone has said is swelling (pictured) due to lack of movement rather than peritonitis. But please let me know what you think. Also pebbles has this morning woken up unable to put weight on her left leg and is limping. She has been high at all so I'm not sure what's happened any advise."

 

[appps]

I would do a search for egg bound. No experience with it but swelling always seems to get that suggested.

 

[Wyandottes7]

To me, it looks like she has either Egg Yolk Peronitis, Ascites, or is an internal egg layer. Here are some threads with some information on all three of these disorders/problems:

Ascites:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-laying-sharing-my-experience-benedicts-story
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/68731/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites

Egg Yolk Peronitis:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/565084/egg-yolk-peritonitis-prevention-or-management

Internal egg laying:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...and-other-egg-issues-will-this-never-end-long
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/318000/internal-layer

 

[casportpony]

I have one that looks like that and every few months I drain off the excess fluid, but keep in mind that I did do a cloacal exam and she does not appear to have any internal masses.

-Kathy