What might these symptoms indicate?

[WindingRoad]

Quaicken108, thanks for your reply.
I can answer some of your questions.
They have not been laying for many weeks. The symptoms have come on over the course of about a week.
Presently their crops are normal. The birds eat some food. We limit the amount so that they don't overeat. Within several hours the crops are emptied.
Their vents look relatively normal, maybe slightly distended as their abdomens are swollen and firm.
Their excrement is a pool of clear liquid with small greenish and whitish blobs of material included. Yesterday there was about a half cc of blood on the floor. This was certainly not from an injury; it was part of a defecation.
Hope this has given you some more leads.

Chickens rarely over eat.

 

[1720BlueBell]

The video Shezadandy recommended back in post #4 of this thread gave us the courage to drain the abdomens of both of these ailing hens. I used a #16 3/4" needle. The larger, stronger hen (Emma) gave us 600 cc's of yellow greenish fluid. The slightly smaller, more lethargic girl (Amelia) gave us 360 cc's of more nearly colorless stuff. No odor to nor blood in either drainage.
Immediately both girls started yacking away. That's their normal loquacious selves. They've been mostly quiet or have been giving a distressed semi squawk when handled. Normally they want to be picked up and carried around, singing away as we pack them here and there.
We're not expecting this will cure them. It certainly has lessened their distress. That's a relief.

 

[Shezadandy]

I'm so glad that helped! That was the video that gave me the confidence to try it for the first time. Nothing could make me happier early Christmas morning!

There are a few "tells" when it might be time for a follow up draining, though of course if they're friendly enough to seek being picked up and carried, you'll know when it's starting to build up again. Look for open mouth breathing, or if there's strained breathing (they suddenly gasp for air with open beaks) when you pick them up, and of course the obvious swelling. If you can keep them from getting to the purple comb stage, that will lessen their overall physical stress and be less strain on their organs.

Great job! That was a really huge amount of fluid from both, holy smokes!!!

 

[coach723]

I'm glad it went well and that they are more comfortable now.

 

[1720BlueBell]

Update on our two hens.
Amelia died yesterday. She was the weaker of the two. Unfortunately, she was our favorite chicken of all time. She is the girl who would leave the flock, let herself in through the screen door separation, hop up onto Pati napping on the couch, and lie down and sleep with her. She also was quite accurate if not actually graceful in her leaping into the air for flour tortilla treats. Hilarious.
Emma, the other pet hen who was sick, has practically recovered and is strong enough to be out with her flock. She spent a full week in the house, so when I returned her to the coop, I raised the heater thermostat to help her readjust to the cold nights. She's been busy digging, chicken dancing (scratching), singing, and snoozing in the sun.
We appreciate the help we received from the forum posters who have chimed in.
I'd intended to necropsy one or both if they died. It's still too soon and too raw to be cutting Amelia open. I probably can do that later on when we prepare to bury her. The ground is frozen, so that burial task will have to wait a few months.

 

[Quaicken108]

Update on our two hens.
Amelia died yesterday. She was the weaker of the two. Unfortunately, she was our favorite chicken of all time. She is the girl who would leave the flock, let herself in through the screen door separation, hop up onto Pati napping on the couch, and lie down and sleep with her. She also was quite accurate if not actually graceful in her leaping into the air for flour tortilla treats. Hilarious.
Emma, the other pet hen who was sick, has practically recovered and is strong enough to be out with her flock. She spent a full week in the house, so when I returned her to the coop, I raised the heater thermostat to help her readjust to the cold nights. She's been busy digging, chicken dancing (scratching), singing, and snoozing in the sun.
We appreciate the help we received from the forum posters who have chimed in.
I'd intended to necropsy one or both if they died. It's still too soon and too raw to be cutting Amelia open. I probably can do that later on when we prepare to bury her. The ground is frozen, so that burial task will have to wait a few months.

So sorry to hear about Amelia. It’s good that Emma is good though. I’m wishing her a happy and healthy rest of her life. I hope that you are well as well because it’s never easy losing someone (even if it’s an animal because people sometimes underestimate the sadness that it brings).

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your loss.
Hope that Emma continues to do well. I also understand how hard the idea of necropsy can be. I cried through my first one. But I learned so much that it was worth it. I never like doing them, but it does get easier with time.