Help please on possible egg bound hen

[jonalisa]

In the tub, she pushes but what I feel just inside her, with my finger,, feels like a big ball of flesh, not an egg

 

[jonalisa]

She has had an egg break inside or it was laided internally and the membrane was expelled. Something very serious is going on inside, possibly oviduct cancer, infection from internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis, or ascites. Since it feels hard, I would worry about cancer. Most times we don’t know which of those can be the problem without doing a necropsy after death. If she seems in pain, I would consider putting her down. Here is some reading:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system/internal-layer-poultry

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...tem/egg-bound-or-impacted-oviducts-in-poultry

Thank you, Eggcessive

 

[jonalisa]

I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

You were with me when I didn't want to be alone and I thank you for that

 

[Eggcessive]

Lash eggs from salpingitis can feel like big fleshy eggs. Still, all of those illnesses salpingitis, internal laying, peritonitis, ascites, and cancer are all eventually fatal. If you do a necropsy later, it would be helpful to take some pictures of the open andomen and close-ups of organs. There have been some interesting necropsy photos recently posted her of oviduct and other cancers. It helps us all to learn. Sorry about your hen.

 

[Shadrach]

You were with me when I didn't want to be alone and I thank you for that

I don' tknow if I'm allowed to do this....

You were with me when I didn't want to be alone and I thank you for that

If you have to end her life, do you know how to?
If not, do you have someone who can do it for you?

 

[rebrascora]

If it helps you feel any better about making such a difficult decision, I agree with @Eggcessive She most likely has salpingitis or, if not, some other very serious reproductive disorder or cancer. I suspected it when I saw the first photo of the egg membrane but that second photo of her extremely distended abdomen and your description of how she feels inside all ties in with that. Salpingitis is an infection of the oviduct where egg material and pus solidify and form into rubbery lumpy masses sometimes as big as a grapefruit, which the hen has no hope of passing and causes an impaction. Often the mass will press on the gut and prevent pooping and the bird will die of toxic shock. It is kinder to end it for them than let them strain and be in discomfort.
Poor girl. I'm so sorry!

 

[jonalisa]

I don' tknow if I'm allowed to do this....

If you have to end her life, do you know how to?
If not, do you have someone who can do it for you?

Well I'm sitting with her right now and she's basically comatose...

 

[jonalisa]

If it helps you feel any better about making such a difficult decision, I agree with @Eggcessive She most likely has salpingitis or, if not, some other very serious reproductive disorder or cancer. I suspected it when I saw the first photo of the egg membrane but that second photo of her extremely distended abdomen and your description of how she feels inside all ties in with that. Salpingitis is an infection of the oviduct where egg material and pus solidify and form into rubbery lumpy masses sometimes as big as a grapefruit, which the hen has no hope of passing and causes an impaction. Often the mass will press on the gut and prevent pooping and the bird will die of toxic shock. It is kinder to end it for them than let them strain and be in discomfort.
Poor girl. I'm so sorry!

Thank you. What I feel inside her I can see a bit... Looks and feels like flesh...like an organ

 

[jonalisa]

Thanks all. Agatha passed in the early evening yesterday. I did drain her abdomen with a syringe, removing a clear yellow liquid- about 1.5+ cups. One syringe looked to have some egg yolk in it. I'm glad I did that - not for her, but because I needed to learn to do it and I was hoping to just make her more comfortable. I propped her up on a comforter with her head raised and abdomen lowered. She seemed to be asleep or comatose and then eventually stopped breathing.
I don't have the space/opportunity to do a necropsy as I currently have houseguests and am under deadline for an important project for my business. I will however, bring her for a necropsy at UNH first thing in the morning. Sorry, I don't think they will take photos, but I will definitely ask.
Thank you all who posted or read and stayed tuned. I always feel less alone knowing I have such an amazing community to support me.
Jonalisa

 

[rebrascora]

Oh! I am so sorry! I hope it is some comfort that she went peacefully in your arms. I also hope the necropsy result comes back with something that gives you peace of mind that nothing more could have been done to save her, which I am pretty sure is the case, but I know from my own experience that it is helpful to have that confirmation.
Would you be so kind as to post the result when you get it, so that we can perhaps learn something from her sad death too. RIP Agatha.