Egg bound with a soft-shelled egg?

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Reproductive disorders (internal laying and salpingitis, cancer, ascites, or egg yolk peritonitis are very common in hens, and best diagnosed with a necropsy. Your state vet can do a professional one with tissue samples and cultures, but you also may do a simple necropsy at home which may show some of the above. Take pictures if you do one, and post them here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, one of my top three favorite hens who was top hen died last night in my arms. I am so devastated, she was such an amazing hen, I grew up with her.
Today has been extraordinarily hard but I want to talk about what could've killed her. I do think it could've been EYP. She has, for more than a year, had a chunky abdomen as in it felt like fat was drooping her abdomen down a bit. Could it have been eggs? And could she have still laid soft-shelled eggs with yolks in her abdomen?
Two days ago she finished up on her amoxicillin for 10 days. Why did this not help her? If I have given her enrofloxacin or another antibiotic could I have saved her?
I was planning on finding a vet for her today but I was too late, I feel guilty but she would've died months ago if I didn't give her antibiotics to save her. It was so sudden though, she was fine yesterday at 7am, scratching around but not eating and when I got home, she was very slow. I have never dealt with a chicken dying so quickly.
Oh goodness, I miss her so badly.

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

I'm sorry to hear she died

Unfortunately with reproductive disorders, there is no cure and a hen will eventually succumb to the condition that is causing her troubles. Medications and/or supportive care may help make a hen more comfortable and/or prolong life for a short period of time.

I agree, a necropsy either by your state lab can give you a lot of information. Doing an informal one yourself can also be a learning experience and you may be able to see some of the things that may have been going on with her. I'm no necropsy expert, I do my own hens when the time comes, but if you decide you want to do your own, take some photos and me may be able to help you with what you see.

 

[Chickengirl2671]

I'm sorry for your loss, it sound like she was a amazing chicken.

 

[Eddie12109]

Thank you for your kind words, it’s been a really hard day.
She was such a special chicken that I knew I wanted something special for her so actually she is getting cremated and coming back Friday in a red little box because she was a New Hampshire.
Necropsys can be very informative but I decided that I didn’t want that for her.

And now... my hens don’t know how to give me a break. The poops from my two in the coop have been liquidy and black. I haven’t been giving charcoal or wood ash to them. Dev, my 7 year old had a super liquidy poop and I thought it was a one time thing but 1 minute later she pooped this. What is going on with her!? She laid an egg earlier today but I fed it to them but it had calcium deposits on it but I doubt that matters.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How are they doing?

 

[Eddie12109]

Thank you for asking
They are still alive. Eddie is doing good and so are my other two. The only thing is is that I have an ascites one who’s getting a little filled.
Rihanna came back from cremation center today.
No one is acting sick. I thought that since this flock was so special that I wouldn’t get anymore but now that there are three left I don’t know.
I would love to know what you think about that poop though. That night I gave probiotics and she didn’t have another poop like that, that I know of but still want to know what you think.

 

[DaisyFaye7]

9 is pretty old for a hen. It sounds like you gave her a great life! I’m sorry for your loss.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for asking
They are still alive. Eddie is doing good and so are my other two. The only thing is is that I have an ascites one who’s getting a little filled.
Rihanna came back from cremation center today.
No one is acting sick. I thought that since this flock was so special that I wouldn’t get anymore but now that there are three left I don’t know.
I would love to know what you think about that poop though. That night I gave probiotics and she didn’t have another poop like that, that I know of but still want to know what you think.

A one time poop like that could be from anything. She ate egg, so it could be from something she ate.

I know it's been painful for you losing your hen and dealing with multiple issues like symptoms of Ascites, reproductive disorders, crop problems, etc. Unfortunately all these issues/symptoms are fairly common in laying hens. As they get older their bodies begin to fail just like we if we are lucky enough to get older. It's sad, but having hens live as long as yours have is a wonderful thing. You have taken good care of them. I know it doesn't lessen the heartache, we all face it at some point, but take comfort that they have had a long life and have been loved.

 

[Eddie12109]

A one time poop like that could be from anything. She ate egg, so it could be from something she ate.

I know it's been painful for you losing your hen and dealing with multiple issues like symptoms of Ascites, reproductive disorders, crop problems, etc. Unfortunately all these issues/symptoms are fairly common in laying hens. As they get older their bodies begin to fail just like we if we are lucky enough to get older. It's sad, but having hens live as long as yours have is a wonderful thing. You have taken good care of them. I know it doesn't lessen the heartache, we all face it at some point, but take comfort that they have had a long life and have been loved.

Thank you for saying that, it means a lot

If it wasn't for me giving her antibiotics a little less than a year ago she would've died then so I am very thankful for her extended time that I got to spend with her.
I am just hoping I don't lose another hen this month. My ascites girl is getting a little bigger, an uncomfortable big and it is making me worried. I definitely don't want her to die in December but it isn't up to me. Last night she was pooping every three minutes, they were small, barely there poops but it was concerning, I think she stopped doing it later in the night but I will monitor again tonight.
It's hard, especially when they die close together. Last year, I lost one in October, November, January, March, and then April, which was unbearable.