# HELP, what’s wrong with Caramel?



## Yer (4 mo ago)

I am writing from the Netherlands. Since a few weeks the body shape of our Cochin Chicken had changed for the worst. Her belly is swollen so much that her posture has become sideways. She can’t move right and struggles with reaching for her I food because of the belly. The vetenarians in the Netherlands couldn’t help us.. but I am not ready to give up on Caramel (our chicken) yet. Does anyone have an idea of what could me wrong with our dear caramel?








Video of our chicken


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm afraid a vet is going to be her only option. She needs surgery. It sounds as though she's had egg laying issues and now she's infected. 

Have you talked to large animal vets? Here in the states that type of vet is more willing to take on care of our birds.


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## Yer (4 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> I'm afraid a vet is going to be her only option. She needs surgery. It sounds as though she's had egg laying issues and now she's infected.
> 
> Have you talked to large animal vets? Here in the states that type of vet is more willing to take on care of our birds.


The vets in my area aren’t specialized enough in chickens.. and because of the bird flu which is spreading around in my area I can’t take her to the university hospital for animals. She is born in April and hasn’t layed any eggs yet, the other chickens who are the same age as her haven’t either. And they are completely fine.. so I don’t have a clue either what it could be. It doesn’t seem like there is any food stuck in her “crop”


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If it's her belly that's all swollen then it doesn't have anything to do with her crop.

Are antibiotics available to you without a vet? A broad spectrum antibiotic might help her. Draining the fluid off her belly would be rather important. As you're in another country I don't know what you have access to.

A large bore needle would allow it to drain. Can you talk to a vet about what you're dealing with? Maybe they can provide you with what you need.

The swelling in her belly, if it's really soft is known as ascites. That is assuming she doesn't have a tumor of some type. Which is possible.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I was thinking ascites as well, also called 'waterbelly.' There is no cure, only repeated draining of belly fluid. If in fact it's ascites, it would be best to cull her.


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## Yer (4 mo ago)

Her belly feels very hard, it almost seems like her bones are deformed.. I heard something about vitamine B deficienty that can cause the chicken to disfigure, is that a possibility?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is sounding more like there might be a tumor of some type. They do get them. Without an X ray there is no way to know what is really going on with her. 

A B deficiency shows more on the neurological side than bone deformities. Actually I didn't find any mention that being a possibility. 

Have you tried contacting any large animal vets, just in case, to see if they might be willing to have a look?


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