Hen With Distended Abdomen- Egg Bound? (dead)

[herecomesthesun]

Hello. Some of you might remember me as FamilyOfChickens. Well, I'm back- long story.

I have a year and 3 month old Ameracauna hen with a badly distended abdomen. She is sitting/standing irregularly (it reminds me of a hawk, kind of upright, with shoulders sloping?). Please help me out asap! We're leaving for vacation in 2 days, and this is one of my favorite chickens. (We have about 20 others). I haven't felt the abdomen yet, I'm rather hesitant to do so.

PLEASE HELP!

 

[seminolewind]

I would feel her abdomen. The only thing I can think of is egg bound? If it's anything else , I wouldn't know what.

 

[herecomesthesun]

Well, I felt it.
The protrusion starts just below her breast bone. It's feels fluid-filled, and I can't discern any kind of major blockage, really. She seems to be doing okay, besides the sitting strangely. I don't know what to do.

Say she IS egg bound.
What do I do then?

edited for spelling

 

[seminolewind]

Is she pooping? What's the poop like? I hope someone else with some more info answers you.

 

[herecomesthesun]

I haven't seen her poop, so I don't know. But I'll look...

I read a bit about egg bound birds, and I think that may be her problem. Her tail is tucked down beneath her kind of, and she's squatting a bit. Like I said, though, I don't feel any obstruction, really.

I'll set her in some warm water and see if that helps any.

 

[seminolewind]

Good idea

 

[herecomesthesun]

Well, she's just the same as she was yesterday, but I think she's a bit more subdued today.
Is there any way she can pull out of this? I'm afraid I caught it too late.

We're leaving for vacation tomorrow, so I don't know what to do for her. A lady is coming once or twice a day to give feed and water, and I don't want her to have a dead chicken on her hands.
Should I end it for her now, humanely, so that she doesn't suffer?

Here's a picture of my sweet girl a few months ago. Her name is Flame.

Basically, here's what I know:
-The area just below her breast bone is badly distended, and feels fluid-filled.
-I can feel no obvious blockage.
-Yesterday she was eating normally, moving around- today she seems a bit listless.
-I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!
-They're fed Dumor laying hen feed, and she isn't fat or anything like that.
-Her condition has not improved any.
-I tried setting her in warm water for a while; it didn't seem to help.
-This may have been going on for a few days already.
-I'm running out of time to care for her.

UPDATE: Well, she pooped.

It was a solid little nugget, like. Not liquidy or clear or anything like that. I don't know if that's a good sign?

 

[seminolewind]

Well you could take her to a vet. I don't have anymore ideas. Sorry

 

[herecomesthesun]

My dad and brother took sweet Flame out back the morning we left for vacation and ended her life. Thank you, seminolewind, for being the only person to reply.

I'm SO glad I can rely on all you guys for help and advice when I have a sick chicken on my hands. What a relief, let me tell you. Geez. What a way to begin vacation.

 

[seminolewind]

I'm so sorry about Flame. She was beautiful. I have one Ameraucana and she has a beautiful face like Flame. Sorry again. Karen