Hen with crop like water-filled balloon. Help?

[Shivani]

One of our hens has been sitting in a nest box for a few days, so I set up a secluded nest for her with some eggs, which we took her to tonight. However, in moving her we found that her crop is like a big, fluid-filled balloon. Like nothing we have ever seen in a bird before. And the bottom of her rear end feels as if it also has fluid in it. We left her on the eggs, but I'm thinking that may be a mistake, as she may have something terminal wrong with her. Can anyone shed light on her fluid-filled crop?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of our hens has been sitting in a nest box for a few days, so I set up a secluded nest for her with some eggs, which we took her to tonight. However, in moving her we found that her crop is like a big, fluid-filled balloon. Like nothing we have ever seen in a bird before. And the bottom of her rear end feels as if it also has fluid in it. We left her on the eggs, but I'm thinking that may be a mistake, as she may have something terminal wrong with her. Can anyone shed light on her fluid-filled crop?

Has she stopped laying eggs and for how long??
How old is she?
Re-check the crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks, the crop should be empty.
An abdomen that feels like it has fluid in it, to me, indicates Ascites. The cause can sometimes be hard to know - reproductive disorders and/or organ (heart/liver) dysfunction can cause fluid to build up in the abdomen. Sometimes fluid can be drained from the abdomen to give the hen relief IF she is in distress (difficulty breathing/walking or lethargic).

It would be a very good idea to try to determine if she is really broody or if she is ill.
If the crop is not empty, then I would read the article below to help figure out which course of treatment to follow - we can help you with that further. Photos of your hen and her poop would be good too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/