Chicken squatting? Help!?!

[HatchAddict20]

She is an older Rhode Island Red hen and she has recently been squatting. When I get closer to her she will walk away in this same squatting position. Is she sick or is this some sort of behavior thing? I've never seen this before so any help or insight would be great.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Check her abdomen. She could be eggbound or have waterbelly.

 

[HatchAddict20]

Check her abdomen. She could be eggbound or have waterbelly.

This is what her belly looks like. There is a part in the middle that looks like it has a little scab over it and that part feels hard. The rest of her abdomen feels pretty normal. Not too hard and not too soft really.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

This is what her belly looks like. There is a part in the middle that looks like it has a little scab over it and that part feels hard. The rest of her abdomen feels pretty normal. Not too hard and not too soft really.

She's swollen. Her belly should be very soft.

Is her vent clean?

 

[HatchAddict20]

She's swollen. Her belly should be very soft.

Is her vent clean?

Her vent is clean but her breathing is very labored. Her abdomen is pretty firm. I'm scared it's waterbelly. She's a pretty old hen and she's just miserable right now. Her Comb is flopped over, she waddles around in a squatting position.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When was her last egg?

I'd try giving Calcium Citrate with D3 for 3-5 days and see if that helps. You can find Calcium Citrate with D3 in the vitamin aisle of stores like Walmart, CVS, etc. Give 1 tablet daily, just pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

Since she's having labored breathing and if you feel she does have fluid in the abdomen, you can try draining to see if that makes a difference. Once drained and if she improves, you can try giving her Aloe Detox when she starts to show signs of struggle, this may be helpful or can be used along with draining if necessary. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...le-to-move-now-laid-egg.1446105/post-24045478

Sadly, hens can often start to have reproductive problems and/or organ failure and a symptom of those is to have fluid accumulation in the abdomen.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Her vent is clean but her breathing is very labored. Her abdomen is pretty firm. I'm scared it's waterbelly. She's a pretty old hen and she's just miserable right now. Her Comb is flopped over, she waddles around in a squatting position.

You're probably looking at end stage organ failure. Is her crop still. Moving food?