Egg Bound or Something Else??

[amaranth320]

I have a three year old Easter Egger who hardly ever lays but is in otherwise good health. Last night I noticed she was walking funny, and this morning, it was even more pronounced. She was walking in a crouch, just like she crouches when I go to pick her up or like hens crouch when a rooster mounts. She doesn't seem to be in pain, and she's not being lethargic yet, but I hadn't seen her eating or drinking either so obviously I was worried. I brought her inside, palpated her abdomen, and I can definitely feel a large firm mass in her lower belly. Significantly larger than an egg -- maybe almost twice the size of a normal egg? Hard to tell.

Anyway, I proceeded as if she were egg bound. Gave her some crushed up Tums in water with a syringe for a calcium boost, soaked her every couple of hours in warm Epsom salt baths, massaged her abdomen gently, lubed up her vent inside and out. I even felt inside her vent to see if I could feel the mass, but either I'm doing something wrong, or it's not an egg. I gently pushed in my index finger, straight back, not up or down, until I was past my second knuckle, and I still can't find an egg. There was a little poop on my finger when I withdrew. When my finger is inside her vent, the mass is very low in her abdomen, and I can't figure out how to touch it. Would an egg be low in the abdomen like that, if the oviduct is higher up than the intestines? And wouldn't I be able to feel the egg shell or at least the rubbery feel of the egg if it were soft shelled?

She's been inside all day in a dark, quiet corner, and she hasn't eaten anything and won't drink any water. :-( I have a call in to my vet, but I figured I would check here to see if y'all have any idea what else this might be. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

three year old Easter Egger who hardly ever lays

was walking funny, and this morning, it was even more pronounced. She was walking in a crouch

palpated her abdomen, and I can definitely feel a large firm mass in her lower belly. Significantly larger than an egg -- maybe almost twice the size of a normal egg?

I even felt inside her vent to see if I could feel the mass, but either I'm doing something wrong, or it's not an egg.

the mass is very low in her abdomen, and I can't figure out how to touch it. Would an egg be low in the abdomen like that,

Welcome To BYC

Sounds like she has a mass in her abdomen.
It may be something like Peritonitis, Salpingitis, cancer, etc. hard to know unless you lose her and a necropsy (either by you or your state lab) is performed.

I would try to get her hydrated and keep her comfortable. Hopefully the vet can shed more light on the issue.