Reproductive Issue; Do I Euthanize?

[CoopBoots]

Chicken Jane is a runaway adoptee Leghorn of unknown age. I've probably had her for two years? She lays huge white eggs with a fragile, but useable shell, almost incessantly.

The day before yesterday we cleaned up her poopy bottom with a trim, and observed that she pooped yellow. She was also lethargic. Yesterday she seemed improved, but today she is sitting like this by the waterer, looking tragic with her tail down, and pooping what looks like mostly water in a puddle:

While she is usually a regular layer, I haven't observed her egg (only pure white in the flock) for well over a week, maybe two.

I know this isn't looking good. Should I cut her losses now, as she looks so miserable, or do I let her see if she has more good days left? As I understand it, her likely situation is EYP and is incurable.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that she is looking bad. It does sound like she may have either have salpingitis or egg yolk peritonitis, or is not utilizing the calcium she is getting. There may be a problem with her shell gland that is in her oviduct. If her shells are thin, there is always a risk of them breaking inside. The yellow urates in her dropping, which are usually white caps, is a sign of liver involvement which leads to water belly. When one dies, I usually do a home necropsy to see what they had going on inside. If she is hanging with the flock and seems to be enjoying life, eating and drinking, then you may want the eggs. But if she seems out of it, and seems to be suffering, it might be good to put her sown so that she doesn’t suffer. I usually go by how they like to go outside and be with others, even if it is just a few days or another week or two. If you do lose her, here is a good video of a vet necropsy below to help know the organs and what they normally look like, and you are welcome to post pictures here.

 

[CoopBoots]

Time for an update.

She went up and down in health; paler and droopier than pictured here but more active and less of the watery and yellow poop to the point where she seemed to be mostly normally pooping. Sleeper than normal betimes but still fiesty enough to get treats and discipline underlings.

Until yesterday I really hoped somehow her sudden egg laying cessation was benign. She didn't go to her coop but left herself in the yard. No energy to walk. Calm, pale. I put her in a cosy nestbox nextdoor to my sweetest broody hen and chicks. She was gone by morning.

I remain undecided if I was wrong in giving her so much extra time. But she seemed to be enjoying most of it. She bullied my broodies and their chicks (gently) for access to wet chick feed and treats. She would find me and expect her share even if the chicks were not around.

I did not do a necroscopy; she was too much of a friend. But I thought her health timeline might at least inform anyone researching a similarly presenting ailment.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you for sharing.