Hen with Ascites- Advice on making her more comfortable?

[Mother Clucker Connie]

My poor Mother Clucker, a 4 y/o ISA Brown seems to have a great big swollen belly. She feels full and her belly is firm like a basketball. As a result, she waddles slowly with her legs splayed farther apart than normal and her wings droop. She's less active than the other hens at times and her face is slightly more pale.
She seems to be eliminating normally. Her breed, apparently, was created to be egg laying machines but then after only a couple years, they stop laying and have a life expectancy of only 4+. I don't believe she's given us eggs in some time. Her belly is not lumpy so I dont believe she's full of eggs.

After some research, I decided she was ailing with ascites but she's not squishy like others have described "water belly". I'm new at this, but I tried to drain her to help ease the pressure on her organs and was only able to pull 20ml of fluid out of her before I had trouble pulling out more and decided to stop. The fluid was yellow and contained yellow protein specks.

Does this indicate peritonitis? Is there an antibiotic that she should be on? Any advice would be appreciated. I am aware that whatever is causing the ascites will likely kill her without surgery. So I just want to help her to feel her best in whatever time she has left with us. My 12 y/o daughter is struggling with the idea of putting Mother Clucker out of her misery but I think that is where we're headed. The very idea pains me. I have never had to cull a chicken before. ☹

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

I'm sorry about your hen! To me it looks like she probably has salpingitis which causes egg yolk peritonitis. I'll post a link to a website about it down below. Unfortunately, based on the description, she is most likely in the advanced stage. There are antibiotics, but those are generally used after surgery to prevent post-surgery infection and not to clear up salpingitis on their own. In the surgery, the vet would not only remove the yolk material, but also spay her. Honestly, if she was my hen I would put her down, since I do not have access to an avian veterinarian. However, I know everyone's situation is different, and that is totally up to you.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

 

[Mother Clucker Connie]

I'm sorry about your hen! To me it looks like she probably has salpingitis which causes egg yolk peritonitis. I'll post a link to a website about it down below. Unfortunately, based on the description, she is most likely in the advanced stage. There are antibiotics, but those are generally used after surgery to prevent post-surgery infection and not to clear up salpingitis on their own. In the surgery, the vet would not only remove the yolk material, but also spay her. Honestly, if she was my hen I would put her down, since I do not have access to an avian veterinarian. However, I know everyone's situation is different, and that is totally up to you.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

Thank you so much for this information. Since posting this, Mother Clucker still waddles like a penguin and even lies on her side sometimes when cooling off in the dirt but any signs that she is uncomfortable are gone. She's eating and drinking normally, climbs up and down the ramp to her house daily, interacts as usual with the other hens, and gets excited for exploring outside her run. I think I'm going to just let her be until signs of discomfort return. But I do think your assessment is likely correct. Thankyou again for taking the time to share with me.