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The hard ball was on her left side.When is the last time she laid an egg? I would feel inside the vent to make sure there's no egg stuck.
Is she pooping? What's that like?
The hard ball - On the left or right side of her? Picking up and liquid coming out - I would treat her for Sour Crop. The best information I've found AND followed with success is this one https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
Often I have found crop issues are a symptom of an underlying condition. In older laying hens that have a squishy belly, droopy wings and purpling of the comb - I would suspect a reproductive disorder. Feel inside her vent to make sure there is no egg stuck.
She's always laid huge eggs - so egg binding is a possibility.
If she's got another issue like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, cancer, Salpingitis, etc. the inflammation from one of those can cause the digestive process to slow which results in the crop not emptying, possibly fluid in the abdomen and pressure on the air sacs/lungs and/or organs resulting in reduction of oxygen (purple comb).
I'm very sorry about your hen. Sometimes I've been able to give them supportive care (treating symptoms as they arise) and they pull through for months. Other times, no matter what I've tried I ended up putting them out of their misery. Sadly, there is no cure for reproductive issues.