BO Hen not acting quite normal

[MagpieDucks]

I have a 3 yr old Buff Hen that hasn't quite been acting normal. For the past 2 weeks she goes into the nesting box at night instead of the roost and starts breathing heavily and her comb and wattles go purple. She is also VERY fat. Almost as if she is bloated. I haven't seen her laying eggs and we have been getting 8 eggs a day (1 green, 1 white, 6 brown) from the 8 brown egg layers and the green and the white. Other than that she has been acting normal during the day. There is a hard spot (to the touch)just above her vent (it's not an abcess). Please Help!

 

[MagpieDucks]

I can get pictures in the morning if needed.

 

[MissNutmeg]

Hello @ViolinPlayer123! The symptoms of your hen sound like an egg binding, which basically means she's got an egg stuck right up inside her vent. I would quarantine her, I'm gonna find a link with cures. Do you know if she is still drinking and eating food without being prompted?

 

[MissNutmeg]

Here is the link: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

Please keep me updated about your hen!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Egg binding is deadly and fast! Doubt a girl would survive 2 weeks like that.

Does she have diareah? Usually that's all that can escape around the egg. Which is why they quit eating and drinking because they can't pass anything.

If you think that's it, take immediate action. My first experience, a couple weeks ago lost a hen from delayed action.

 

[coach723]

Another possibility is ascites, or "water-belly". I'm attaching a couple of links that may help.
If the lower abdomen feels swollen and fluid filled it may be this. Unfortunately most of the causes of ascites do not result in a good outcome. It commonly is caused by organ failure or cancer. If that is what it is then sometimes draining the fluid (using a syringe needle- you can search this) can make the bird more comfortable for a time, but the underlying condition will remain.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poult...itions-of-poultry/ascites-syndrome-in-poultry
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/ascites-syndrome-poultry

 

[MissNutmeg]

So

Another possibility is ascites, or "water-belly". I'm attaching a couple of links that may help.
If the lower abdomen feels swollen and fluid filled it may be this. Unfortunately most of the causes of ascites do not result in a good outcome. It commonly is caused by organ failure or cancer. If that is what it is then sometimes draining the fluid (using a syringe needle- you can search this) can make the bird more comfortable for a time, but the underlying condition will remain.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poult...itions-of-poultry/ascites-syndrome-in-poultry
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/ascites-syndrome-poultry

The reason why I didn't mention Ascites is because ViolinPlayer123 felt something hard not squishy.

~Meg

 

[MagpieDucks]

The abdomen is firm not squishy...

 

[MissNutmeg]

Yeah I would check out the link about egg binding.

 

[MagpieDucks]

I got some pics of her. I tried to get one of her abdomen but as soon as I flipped her over she started gasping for breath and her comb and wattles turned purple.
She did a cecal poop (see image) and then another one a little bit later.The last pic is when she was recovering from her gasping thingamajig.