I posted this on a chicken group, but thought I'd share it here as well. Just went through a waterbelly situation with one of our Golden Comets. Sweet bird, knows her name, loves people, talks all the time. She's about 4 years old.
Anyway, about 2 months ago, she started getting "fat". I asked online and heard she had everything from A to Z. Many said cull, etc. She got so bad I had to pick her up to put her in and out of the coop, and had very labored breathing. Despite looking big, she was barely eating and her breast bone was protruding. She was swolen tight, like a basketball. She was about to pass.
One of my friends said "Thats water belly, Dr. Pol on TV just talked about it". Said he grabbed up a bird, stuck a needle in, and drew it out. I watched a bunch of YouTube vids on how to drain it, got the stuff, asked on here about infections and such, and did it. I was freaked out about sticking a needle in her, but she didn't even flinch. Drew out 30ml, opened the hole a bit to drain, and checked her again in 2 days.
She is now her old self, running about and playing, eating everything in sight, flying out of the coop, and running to me talking and clucking like crazy. I realize this doesn't "fix" her, but she's happy and comfortable. Heres a before and after pic of Billie, spanning a few days...
After!!!
