New to Forum though an avid follower!

Hello everyone! We have 10 chickens (black sexed linked, austrolorpe, bhrama, americana, Sicilian Buttercup and soon 5 Red star). I am currently dealing with an ill chicken. We've had her for 3 years, has been a fantastic layer...never sick until last night. But let me back up a bit....it has been HOT, crazy hot down here in Florida. All of our chickens laying has dropped off significantly. Diet, cool water, supplement of veggies/fruits, grit free choice, lots of time in yard (they have a large yard themselves but I turn them out onto the property everyday), coop is cleaned daily, nest boxes cozy....not sure the reason for the reduction in eggs other than the heat. So now..onto my problem with the sick chick.

Around 6 pm last night I noticed this chicken, Dip, in the nest box. She hasn't laid an egg in several days, so I thought it was an odd hour to be in the box but left her alone. Later that evening, 9 pm, I went to lock up and she was still in the box. I felt her abdomen and tush...seemed to feel a little hard. She squeaked a little when I picked her up and she pooped a little liquid. I felt that she may be egg bound..? So took her to take a warm bath, gave her some calcium (rolaids), massaged her gently, probed her vent and didn't feel anything. Took her out, but on a warm hair dryer and left her alone for about 45 min. After I came back she pooped a large amount of liquid brown stool and what looked like a dab or two of yellow looking yolk..possibly?
Put her in the crate with water/food overnight. This morning, let her out and she went right to the water...drank a lot. Then into the nest box she went. She came down several times to drink and then back to box.....no egg. I've taken her out, felt her again..nothing seems amiss, no hard mass, clean tush, no prolapse. Gave her nutri drench. She is now just resting, not eating or drinking, no interest in scratching. So put her back in crate with food/water.

what do you all think? Think the egg ruptured inside?

 

thanks for the article....I thought about the broody thing, but her lethargy doesn't seem to fit. She seems to feel bad. Still have her in a crate, outside in the shade where all the girls hang out. She's top chicken, so the others are keeping her company and she seems relaxed. I've posted in the ER thread too, hoping to see what comes of that.

 

Good news, I think! I removed a leathery shell from her vent this morning. After that she drank again and ate a little. By the time I left this afternoon she was hanging out with the ladies, not hiding in the bushes! I'm thinking she may be on the road to recovery! I'm optimistic!!!