I have a hen that is keeping her tail down. She has a hard mass that feels like an egg in her abdomen, but when I check her vent I am not able to access the "egg" itself. . . it feels like it's surround by mucous membrane on all sides. She is walking (waddling) with her tail down. She was a daily layer up until about 4 months ago, when it seemed she was assuming the role of a rooster and wouldn't be laying anymore. We initially brought her inside, two days ago, because she is just sitting around a lot (not like her), and her comb is looking shrunken and greyish on the tips. I have her on some meds for cocci. She's eating well. . . yogurt and oatmeal w/berries, and drinking. She doesn't seem to be going to the bathroom as much as usual, and droppings are somewhat runny. All of the our other chickens seem healthy. Does anyone have any ideas about what else I can do for her? I'm feeling a little panicked.
She may be egg bound or you may be feeling the growths of internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. They can also get cancer in the abdomen. To treat egg binding, a crushed Tums or 1/2 an adult calcium tablet are given in some yogurt or egg by mouth, since egg binding is a deficiency of calcium. Then soak in a hot bath at least 30 minutes which can help the muscles relax to release the egg. Dry her in a towel and keep inside to dry completely. Here is some info to read: http://hencam.com/faq/egg-bound-hens/ http://www.avianweb.com/eggyolkperitonitis.html
