Wellsummer walking funny, not laying

[Magpyeone]

My 1 1/2 yo Wellsummer hasn’t been laying for around a week, and yesterday when I let the chickens out I noticed she was waddling funny. I checked and she’s not egg-bound but that whole area looks red and inflamed. Any ideas?

 

[azygous]

You don't need to be able to feel an egg for a hen to be having egg issues. The reproductive tract is subject to all sorts of disorders, including an egg that has ruptured inside, causing bacteria to grow in the yolk, inflaming the tissues.

Disclaimer: NEI. Not enough information for us to tell you what's wrong. I will tell you that when I suspect a hen of mine is having reproductive issues, I immediately give her a calcium citrate supplement tablet to help clear any egg remains or to help an egg that may be stuck somewhere in her egg chute.

I monitor her poops very closely, and if I see any sign of broken yolk, I start her on an antibiotic. If she's squatting and straining, and there's a watery discharge from her vent, I will place her in a crate on moist heat to help her get a possible stuck egg out. But first and foremost is the calcium tablet at the first sign of trouble.