What’s wrong with my hen?

[GtheCajun]

I let the whole flock out in the yard Saturday afternoon and didn’t notice any problems with her. Sunday morning I noticed she was a little sluggish. I isolated her Sunday afternoon and now she looks like this. She is not eating or drinking.

 

[MzGina]

Is she laying yet?

 

[GtheCajun]

Yes, she has been laying since October.

 

[GtheCajun]

I was thinking it could be a breeched egg maybe.

 

[MzGina]

I for sure do not know alot.. but have you checked her vent?

 

[GtheCajun]

As best as I could. There was a little dried poop on it, and I wiped it off.

 

[Abriana]

I was thinking it could be a breeched egg maybe.

What is a breeched egg?

 

[GtheCajun]

A guy I know told me one time one of his hens died unexpectedly. He cut her open, and found an egg inside of her sideways. I was thinking my hen may have the same problem.

 

[Abriana]

Can you feel an egg inside her? Put on gloves and lubricate your finger with some Vaseline. Insert your finger very gently and feel around very gently. If you feel an egg you can try to find out what position it is in. I’m not sure if it would be safe to try to right it, so I would wait for some experts to come along and help. You can give her read end warm epsom salt soaks to help pull the egg out.

 

[rebrascora]

She appears to be tipped forward, so the first thing I would do is check her crop? Is it full or empty? Large or small? Hard or soft? Compare to other healthy chickens. Check it at night, remove access to food and water and check it again first thing in the morning. If it is not emptying overnight then that suggests a blockage/impaction.

What does her body condition feel like, particularly around her breast bone.... does she feel reasonably well padded or skin and bone?

Check her abdomen below her vent and between her legs for any swelling and her vent itself. Is there anything unusual? What does her poop look like? Does her vent look like it is pulsing?

I'm a little concerned that her body may be contorted due to Marek's disease. I haven't seen one hunch up like that before but it is a very unnatural posture and Marek's can cause a whole range of unusual body contortions. How old is she and how long have you had her? Have you added any new birds to the flock in the past 3 months and if so, where did you get them from?
How does she walk? Can you post a video of her moving? It would need o be downloaded to the likes of You Tube and then a link posted here on the thread.