Im here to figure out what's wrong with my chicken

[Cyprus]

When was the last time she laid?
This could be egg binding or egg yolk peritonitis; a.k.a internal laying.

 

[Kiki]

X2...when did she last lay a normal egg?
What do you feed her on a daily basis?

 

[Laura the chicken mom]

Its hard to say how long its been since she's laid an egg. All my girls lay in the same place, just under five years old, and are molting right now, so very few eggs for the past couple weeks. Feed is layer crumbles, scratch, with oyster shell grit added and use food grade diatomaceous earth in their food and water, with some in their bedding and laying area.

 

[Kiki]

Thank you for responding. I'm super overwhelmed by this. Her bottom is red and swollen like a water balloon. She has labored breathing, feathers all puffed up, eyes semi open. I bathed her bottom yesterday and clipped the feathers below her vent. The vent looks completely normal. I feel so helpless I could just cry. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

It doesn't sound good. Since you are unsure if she lays I'm guessing she could be laying internally which there really isn't much you can do.

 

[rebrascora]

I would agree that this is most likely a reproductive disorder like internal laying for which there is no cure and little treatment. It can be accompanied by ascites (water belly) which means that fluids build up in the abdominal cavity and put stress on the respiratory system, hence her struggling to breath. Draining off some of the fluid should give her almost instant relief from the worst of the symptoms but will not solve the underlying problem and the water belly will return, but you may be able to buy her a few more weeks or months especially at this time of year when they stop ovulating. I will link a really good video which may help inspire you to drain her yourself if veterinary car is not an option. Be aware though that she may die from shock as a result of removing the fluid too quickly and she could get an infection from inserting a needle into her but she is almost certainly dying by the sound of it, so you really don't have anything to lose by trying and it can make you feel incredibly euphoric if she improves, as well as obviously making her feel loads better.
Anyway. here is a link to the video. The lady has no medical training as far as I am aware, so she is no better equipped than you or I to do this, but she explains it really well and her technique is by far the best I have seen....

If you are able to successfully drain her, then keeping her in the dark for a couple of extra hours each day should help to suppress her reproductive system to prevent her from ovulating..... red sex links sometimes lay through their moult or resume straight after and if she is back logged with eggs, that will just add to the problem. Long term, hormonal implants every 3-6 months will prevent her ovulating which should prevent things getting worse but they are pricey at $100-$150 a time. Surgical intervention by a good avian vet to clear out her abdominal cavity of the internally laid eggs is another extremely expensive and risky option, probably running to a 3 figure sum and not worth considering in my opinion, but you may be a millionaire who can afford such things for all I know, so just putting it out there.
The sad fact is that your hen most likely has a terminal reproductive issue and by the sounds of it, will be lucky to last more than a day or two but if she has ascites (water belly) which your comment about a water balloon suggests, draining her might buy her a few more months.

Good luck whatever you decide. Ending her suffering would be a kindness if you are not comfortable trying to drain her.

 

[Laura the chicken mom]

Thank you for this! I actually thought I had read something about this condition before but was unable to find it again, which is why I reached out. I just found her dead right before reading this post. I run a dog rescue and have had my hands really full over the past couple days, so of course this happens now. I will forever be in your debt for taking the time to answer in such detail. I am now down to almost all Americana hens, of which I have had the best luck with in terms of overall health, as well as being great layers. Plus they all seems to have the best dispositions. I will stick to this breed from here on, I think. Anyway, blessings to you for taking time to answer.

 

[townchicks]

Sorry for your loss. At least now you've found a place for help when you need it.

 

[rebrascora]

Feed is layer crumbles, scratch, with oyster shell grit added and use food grade diatomaceous earth in their food and water, with some in their bedding and laying area.

How much scratch do you feed and do you mix it into the feed or throw it out for them to forage? Do they also have access to granite grit. Crushed oyster shells are just to provide calcium and dissolve in the acidic conditions of the gut. Birds need small hard stones/grit to grind up their food, particularly if you feed them scratch or any vegetation etc. Too much scratch can cause Fatty Liver syndrome which can lead to the liver breaking down and leaching sera into the abdominal cavity, so it may be that and not a reproductive problem.

Edited to add....
Just read your last thread after posting the above and see that she has sadly passed. I'm so sorry The questions about feed are still relevant however because some birds are more disposed to Fatty Liver than others and if you are feeding too much scratch another bird could be affected. Also if you mix other things into their regular layer feed, it can cause them to bill food out in order to get their favourite bits and cause waste and possibly attract rodents to clean up the spillage and/or cause a dietary imbalance, so always worth reassessing your feeding regime when you have a death.
If you are up for it, you could always open her up and see what the problem was. That way you may gain knowledge that could help your remaining flock. I appreciate it is not something everyone can get their head around but it is really interesting once you overcome the emotions. If you decide to do that, take photos so that we can help you interpret what you find.

Again very sorry for your loss and hope this post doesn't come across as insensitive or critical in any way.

 

[Laura the chicken mom]

Having just watched the video, I am sure this is what was happening to her. I am so sad I didn't know this yesterday, even though it may have been too late. I can definitely do this procedure if this happens again. I really hope not. What a shame to lose such a beautiful girl to this. Thanks again.

 

[Laura the chicken mom]

How much scratch do you feed and do you mix it into the feed or throw it out for them to forage? Do they also have access to granite grit. Crushed oyster shells are just to provide calcium and dissolve in the acidic conditions of the gut. Birds need small hard stones/grit to grind up their food, particularly if you feed them scratch or any vegetation etc. Too much scratch can cause Fatty Liver syndrome which can lead to the liver breaking down and leaching sera into the abdominal cavity, so it may be that and not a reproductive problem.