Help, old hen with hard swollen abdomen!!

[CountryChickenz]

Hello, I have noticed within the past week that my oldest hen, about 5.5 years old, has been losing weight so I brought her in the garage so I could better care for her. I noticed that her abdomen/ butt area is swollen, not watery, but hard(very hard) Is almost like a hard flexed muscle... Weirdest thing. I have given her Epsom sale warm baths, hoping to listen up anything clogged inside her, because her poop is very watery diarrhea.... I do not believe that she has layer eggs within the past year to two years, so that eliminates egg bound, I believe. While she stands in a crate, I can here juices pump though, like our atomach when your hungry or when it empties. I also noticed a hard ball on the side of her abdomen that moves back and forth, which I think is part of her intestines trying to push liquid/ food through...
Has anyone heard, or seen such a thing?

 

[Eggcessive]

She could have one of several conditions such as ascites, internal laying, egg yolk peritonits, salpingitis, or cancer. Ascites, or fluid in the abdomen can be a result of some of those diseases above, or from heart or liver failure. Many people choose to try and drain some of the yellow amber fluid occasionally with an 18 gauge needle, to try and relieve some of the preesure and pain and make breathing less labored. There are are some threads to show this by searching ascites in the search box at the top of the page. A veterinarian could help to diagnose the problem with Xrays.