Panic! Found chicken lying on her side

[RedCurls]

A day I will not forget!.

Placed her in a tub of warm water. soaped the rear end up and started cleaning her for about 20 minutes.
I got my first indicator of the problem when I washed her belly.
It was full of something, probably fluid. Her chest bone was very pronounced.
I started inserting my finger in her cloaca. It was immediately evident there was a big problem. I could only insert it 10-15mm. There was a wall/membrane resisting further penetration. Could feel there was a small opening there but it was very tightly closed.
I pressed and she felt discomfort.
Her abdomen was like a water balloon.
I massaged and pressed to the point that I forced an opening.
Thought that blood would pour out as she went limp on me without any muscle tone. Did I just kill the chicken I wanted to save?
The chicken's neck went backwards, eyes closed beak opened as she went totally motionless, still and floppy. I tried to bring her back for several minutes without success. No sign of life.
I was quite upset and gently pressed her abdomen and out came about 250-300ml of fluid. It was light yellowish in colour. It came out in bursts as I gently squeezed her abdomen. Birds do not produce liquid urine like we do. At the same time two pale yellow objects came out

https://imgur.com/ObhgVbG

https://imgur.com/dS7Lsb4

I kept on squeezing the abdomen and at the end a little blood came out with a burst of the yellow fluid. Not much but the fluid had a red tinge.

Maybe someone can tell me what the 2 objects were. They are awfully pale to be yolks, but maybe they are those of an old chicken at the end of her life? The prominent sternum bone probably means a lot to the experienced members of the forum.
A blocked oviduct vent would have led to a slow death. I am sure my finger did not penetrate her large intestine. Has anyone experienced something similar?
Was set on not letting this painful experience go wasted. An autopsy would follow.
Will write more later. It has been a stressful morning and it's not over.
If I had known one could get so attached to a chicken, I'd never have ventured in this experience.

 

[Cat Ballou]

I’m so sorry about your girl. I’m no expert but it sounds like ascites. According to @Shadrach it’s a symptom of heart failure if I understand.

 

[Eggcessive]

@RedCurls, did your chicken die after the yellow objects and fluid came out of her vent? Did you do a necropsy? It sounds like she may have had ascites and might have had fatty liver hemorrhagic disease. The yellow things may be fat globules, but I am not certain. Ascites can have many causes.

 

[RedCurls]

Sorry for not responding earlier.
I spent considerable time giving her chest compressions to jump-start her. I should not have. With hindsight, It was cruel. She felt better after opening her passage. It was sealed. I managed to save her. She was well for a day or so. She started eating but then she stopped and I knew she was not well. She was passing a little liquid waste, so I kept washing her vent. I should have sacrificed her to save her suffering...but I just couldn't do it. If it happens again I will definitely do it.
Yes I did a partial necroscopy.
There was a blockage in her gizzard. Food was not going through. Crop full.
The yellow cysts were full of liquid, not fat
I looked up ascites. It may well be. I have not seen yellow ones though.
Ovarian cysts? They look similar but I have not found yellow ones either. The short of it, I don't know. Ascites certainly explains the large amount of yellow fluid. I probably should have proceeded with a more exhaustive necroscopy, but it was my first time. I'd like to think there will not be a second...