Constipated chicken with gleet vent

[Sam P 83]

I have 5-6 month old silkie hen that we are treating for gleet vent. However, she is having a very hard time pooping. She makes this noise every time she tries to go. Her gleet vent is slowly going down and getting better with treatment but she is still having issues pooping and to top it off, her crop is fairly firm even when empty. We have been doing Epsom salt through a syringe 3 times a day. I really don't know what else to try. I am thinking about doing vetRX if she has a respiratory infection.

 

[Stravager]

Have you been massaging her crop at all? What other symptoms is she having that makes you think a respiratory infection?

 

[Sam P 83]

She has a small bubble in her eye as well, forgot to mention that. I have massaged it a bit. It just doesn't move much.

 

[Stravager]

Can you post pictures of her vent and eye? And her poop if you can.
If she's straining to poop you could try giving tiny chunks of solid coconut oil as well to help relieve the strain and also massage some into her vent. Have you checked to make sure she isn't egg bound? What is she getting for food?

 

[Sam P 83]

I have not felt an egg and she has not started yet. Do I do chunks the chunks of coconut oil orally? We have been doing the Epsom salt orally 3x a day and a bath every night with it as well. Monistat cream 2x a day and a monistat suppository, every other day since Saturday. Her last one will be tomorrow.

 

[Stravager]

Take a small chunk of chilled coconut oil about the size of a pencil eraser/small pea (until she's eaten about two teaspoons), and put it in her beak, massaging in an upward motion after about twenty minutes.
This article has more helpful steps for crop issues:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
If she's not doing well constant baths might be causing more stress. You could try a warm compress on her vent to help loosen things up.
@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock do you have any ideas about the eye?

 

[Eggcessive]

The bubbles in the eye can be a sign of conjunctivitis or a respiratory infection called MG. You can flush the eye with saline or eye wash, and apply a small dab of either Terramycin eye ointment or Neosporin twice a day. Epsom salts can cause diarrhea and dehydration. Is she drinking enough fluids? Does her crop fill up during the day by evening? Usually, if the crop is empty, nothing is felt. I would use a disposable glove, lube a fingertip, and insert it inside her vent to feel for a blockage or solid poop or urates at the vent opening. It may need to be cleaned out daily for a few days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We have been doing Epsom salt through a syringe 3 times a day. I really don't know what else to try. I am thinking about doing vetRX if she has a respiratory infection.

She has a small bubble in her eye as well, forgot to mention that. I have massaged it a bit. It just doesn't move much.

Almost looks like leaking urates, did she prolapse and the tissue get picked at?
She's been bleeding some?

I'd give her a soaking in epsom salts, clean the vent. Apply the coconut oil or some mineral oil to see if those help remove some of the stuck on urates.

If she's having a hard time pooping, work on hydration and getting the coconut oil into. Offer wet soupy mash, cut out any treats like veggies/fruit/scratch. Soft cooked egg makes a fine treat. I'm not sure if I would give the epsom salts orally anymore, since you've been doing that for several days. The crop is slow due to whatever is going on in the digestive tract.
If it really is vent gleet, then you will need to continue with the Miconazole for a full 7 days twice a day.

Clean out the eye as suggested and apply your eye ointment. Hopefully she just happened to get something in the eye instead of this being respiratory illness like MG.

 

[Sam P 83]

The bubbles in the eye can be a sign of conjunctivitis or a respiratory infection called MG. You can flush the eye with saline or eye wash, and apply a small dab of either Terramycin eye ointment or Neosporin twice a day. Epsom salts can cause diarrhea and dehydration. Is she drinking enough fluids? Does her crop fill up during the day by evening? Usually, if the crop is empty, nothing is felt. I would use a disposable glove, lube a fingertip, and insert it inside her vent to feel for a blockage or solid poop or urates at the vent opening. It may need to be cleaned out daily for a few days.

She seems to be drinking fine. I don't know exactly because there are other chickens out there. In the morning when I went to give her her meds, her crop felt like there was something in there, so not empty. I did massage it for a little bit.

 

[Sam P 83]

Almost looks like leaking urates, did she prolapse and the tissue get picked at?
She's been bleeding some?

I'd give her a soaking in epsom salts, clean the vent. Apply the coconut oil or some mineral oil to see if those help remove some of the stuck on urates.

If she's having a hard time pooping, work on hydration and getting the coconut oil into. Offer wet soupy mash, cut out any treats like veggies/fruit/scratch. Soft cooked egg makes a fine treat. I'm not sure if I would give the epsom salts orally anymore, since you've been doing that for several days. The crop is slow due to whatever is going on in the digestive tract.
If it really is vent gleet, then you will need to continue with the Miconazole for a full 7 days twice a day.

Clean out the eye as suggested and apply your eye ointment. Hopefully she just happened to get something in the eye instead of this being respiratory illness like MG.

I will do that. I noticed she has lost weight, so I don't think she is eating well.