Heavy breathing, won’t stand (DAY 4)

[sixxchixx]

Hello, I have a 2ish year old EE who has been ill since Saturday (today is Tuesday). We noticed she wasn’t really walking around or eager to free range with the other 3 hens in my backyard flock. I suspected eggbound. I bathed her, dried her and placed her in a small cage in my kitchen to keep the flies from her. I also gently probed her vent with a lubed, gloved finger and didn’t feel anything out of ordinary. Her lower belly is distended and she’s leaking watery poo. I have no means to take her to a vet. I’ve tried to keep her as comfortable as I can for the past 4 days (as I thought if she is eggbound she would either pass the egg or die). She isn’t getting better or worse. She’s eaten very little, I gave her some cottage cheese and cantaloupe seeds, she hasn’t touched the chicken feed available. I’ve force fed water and have seen her take a few small sips on her own. I don’t know what is wrong, if she will heal on her own or if I should put her down. She just sleeps and breathes heavily, she won’t/can’t stand. Any advice is welcome, I’m not a newbie but have never seen this before. Thank you in advance. Photos are of her in the cage with water, cottage cheese and pellets and of her bottom (sorry it’s pretty gross).

 

[nuthatched]

It could be ascites, water belly, a sign of reproductive issues. I'm sorry.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that her distended belly could be one of the various reproductive disorders, cancer, or water belly (ascites.) If you can catch a more solid poop, try to get a picture of it. My hen that had water belly had bluish skin on her belly. Ascites (water belly) can be drained occasionally to relieve pressure and to ease breathing.
Try offering some wet watery chicken feed in a small bowl that is changed out daily. Scrambled egg bits can also be offered along with the feed. Many times it is after they die, that we can do a necropsy through the state vet or do one at home, to look for what might have been wrong. Has she been a good layer in the past? Make sure to separate her if the others start to peck at her, but she may prefer to have visits with them. If she continues to not stand or walk, you may want to think about putting her down. Here is a list of state vets for a necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[sixxchixx]

I agree that her distended belly could be one of the various reproductive disorders, cancer, or water belly (ascites.) If you can catch a more solid poop, try to get a picture of it. My hen that had water belly had bluish skin on her belly. Ascites (water belly) can be drained occasionally to relieve pressure and to ease breathing.
Try offering some wet watery chicken feed in a small bowl that is changed out daily. Scrambled egg bits can also be offered along with the feed. Many times it is after they die, that we can do a necropsy through the state vet or do one at home, to look for what might have been wrong. Has she been a good layer in the past? Make sure to separate her if the others start to peck at her, but she may prefer to have visits with them. If she continues to not stand or walk, you may want to think about putting her down. Here is a list of state vets for a necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

Thank you for all this information. I’ve had chickens nearly 15 years and never had this happen. She was a my most dependable egg layer but her eggs were always shaped a little differently. The eggs usually came out almost pointy (?) , very elongated egg shapes. I just figured she had more pointy eggs. I separated her Saturday, the flies were torturing her because she wouldn’t walk around. So in your opinion ascities or other repro problems are fatal and I should ease her suffering?

 

[sixxchixx]

It could be ascites, water belly, a sign of reproductive issues. I'm sorry.

Thanks for responding.