Old hen with what feels like water baloon between her legs

[Dona Worry]

Breed: silver laced Wyandotte
Age: unknown, but bare minimum of two and likely much older.
Has not laid since May, no prior history known.

So my old drop off hen from this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ethel-needs-some-tlc.1542945/
has declined rapidly. Yesterday I decided I would pick up some feather fixer feed and feed her a bit of scrambled egg on the side, and this weekend set her up an isolation area to keep a better eye on her.

Today, she can't walk.

I brought her inside, and she's a mess. Thin, and a huge, squishy water balloon on her bum.

I've brought her in, given her a thorough bath and a good soak in a warm tub, and set up an emergency dog crate and soft bed for her, but what else can I do? What am I looking at here?

THINGS I HAVE

Some vitamin supplements

Penicillin

Garlic tincture

Any and all advice welcome.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm sorry but it is called ascites and usually means cancer or failed liver function.

The kindest thing would likely be to euthanize her. If you want to try to treat, you can use a needle and aspirate the abdomen (draw off some fluid).

But in an old hen, this is surely a sign of cancer of the laying tract and abdomen...or liver failure.

I'm sorry the old gal isn't doing well.

If interested, you can gently euthanize with the CO2 method (dry ice) and bucket. Let me know if you want details.

LofMc

 

[Dona Worry]

Oh nooo

 

[KyCoop]

I just went through this with my SLW. So sorry. The kindist thing you can do for her is let her go. It could be 1 of 4 things none of them good or treatable. Give her a peaceful transition. Let her fly high.

 

[Dona Worry]

I hadn't decided what to do yet, but I figured she needed breakfast while I figured it out.... I propped her up in the dog bed, made some scrambled eggs, came back and she had died.

Poor old Ethel. I wish I had noticed how poorly she was earlier.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry for your loss. Glad she is at peace now.