Egg bound? Water belly???

[Salty Cookie]

If you poked her on her lowest point on the right side of her abdomen and got egg yolk material, she has a very advanced case of internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. You did not make it worse or puncture an egg in the process of laying, you just got more information by figuring out that her abdominal cavity is unfortunately full of this material from her internal laying issue.

Her hormones have kept her "laying" but the egg material has just been dumping into her abdominal cavity. Chickens do not have a diaphram that separates their organs, it's just one big cavity.

I've had just one case like you're describing. That one I used a syringe on and removed over 60ccs of disgusting scrambled egg goop from her on multiple occasions - which did help her for a bit. Every other bird I've drained, and there have been many - have been full of fluid.

You can of course try antibiotics, and you can try and get as much material out of her as possible by draining/ The other thing you can try is putting her in a dimly lit area for a few days to help stop the hormones that are continuing to drive egg production to at least put a stop to more material being added. These are all treatment options to help her be more comfortable- none will cure her- and as such it's up to you whether to treat her or ... Draining fluid is one thing - this level of disease is something else.

If you have a strong stomach and would benefit from photos of a necropsy of an EYP type case-- but be warned, it is VERY GRPAHIC so if you will find photos of the inside of a chicken impacted by this disease disturbing - DO NOT CLICK ON IT.


https://www.sufficientself.com/thre...-they-stop-laying-warning-graphic-pics.15366/

Thanks. Sorry for a late reply. She is still doing fine, but her belly feels like full of fluid. Your response made me feel a little better, and also helped me to decide to let the nature takes its course. She is in the house and she is loving it. My dog and two cats keep company with her. I let her spend time with other chickens through the fence but I think she prefers to stay in the house. I open the door to let her go, but she just goes out a bit and comes back inside. I am busy picking up her poops all in the living room though...

 

[Shezadandy]

Thanks. Sorry for a late reply. She is still doing fine, but her belly feels like full of fluid. Your response made me feel a little better, and also helped me to decide to let the nature takes its course. She is in the house and she is loving it. My dog and two cats keep company with her. I let her spend time with other chickens through the fence but I think she prefers to stay in the house. I open the door to let her go, but she just goes out a bit and comes back inside. I am busy picking up her poops all in the living room though...

I'm glad she's got a cushy arrangement to enjoy the time she has left. Having indoor chickens even on "easy" floors to clean does create quite the mess. For a while our favorite Buff (heart failure) from our first group of chicks just wasn't making it outside, she did well indoors. Her buddy the perpetual crop issue queen kept each other company and made quite a mess and this went on for quite a while. They do make chicken diapers, though I have not tried them myself.