Egg stuck in membrane outside vent. Help!

[RhondaWW]

Around the vent or inside?
What meds?

Around the vent. Meds are Meloxicam. She had an injection of Metacam and 3 days of Meloxicam taken orally. These are usually prescribed to dogs and cats as an anti inflammatory and pain management med for joint pain, so don't know that its going to do much for what's going on around her vent, but I have no other course of action beyond what we have been doing.... Thoughts?

 

[aart]

Around the vent. Meds are Meloxicam. She had an injection of Metacam and 3 days of Meloxicam taken orally. These are usually prescribed to dogs and cats as an anti inflammatory and pain management med for joint pain, so don't know that its going to do much for what's going on around her vent, but I have no other course of action beyond what we have been doing.... Thoughts?

Probably prescribed more for the anti-inflammatory aspects.
But another thought is that pain meds can slow intestinal activity causing constipation.

Is she eating and drinking well, crop emptying overnight?

 

[RhondaWW]

Probably prescribed more for the anti-inflammatory aspects.
But another thought is that pain meds can slow intestinal activity causing constipation.

Is she eating and drinking well, crop emptying overnight?

She is eating and drinking and there appears to be the usual 4 areas of droppings under where 4 hens would perch at night. I'm not at all experienced with whether her crop is empty though. I do worry that this build up of (uric acid??) might burn and damage her vent. I did ask the vet about cleaning and he seemed to feel that as of last Tuesday she was too inflamed and sore to continue to pick at the vent and instead suggested to keep her clean and provide the anti-inflammatories and let things be as they were. I'm not entirely comfortable with that suggestion though... I have tried some of the suggestions I have read online such as changing her gut pH by giving her yogurt and apple cider vinegar. She will have nothing to do with yogurt. I even tried baiting her by putting mealworms in it but after one she wanted to clean the yogurt off her beak and would have nothing to do with the rest. Last night I trued dipping arugula into yogurt, as she loves leafy greens but once again after the first one she refused more. Too discerning for her own good.

 

[aart]

I tend to stick with a good chicken ration and plain water.
Other things can mask symptoms or/and cause issues of their own.

I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[RhondaWW]

I tend to stick with a good chicken ration and plain water.
Other things can mask symptoms or/and cause issues of their own.

I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

Sounds like sound advice. Thanks. Her poop definitely is less than normal, smaller, mostly black and her tail feathers are moist all the time.?

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad to hear that she is doing well. A tsp of plain yogurt is plenty for probiotics, and I mix it with feed and some water. The caked urates may be from her vent trauma. I would soak her vent in warm water if soiled, and remove any caked urates with a disposable glove and lubricate her vent.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you provide some updated photos of the vent and her poop?

 

[RhondaWW]

Can you provide some updated photos of the vent and her poop?

The poop I cleaned this morning but I can get a pic of her vent. Not home at the moment but will send an updated pic in an hour or so. Thanks for sticking with me on this. You guys are truly fabulous!!!!

 

[RhondaWW]

Can you provide some updated photos of the vent and her poop?

OK. Here is a pic of her vent and poop. A huge white poop plug came off the outside of her vent that had been stuck there for a few days. I hope this helps her ferl more comfortable.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

The wonderful and amazing knowledgeable folks will be here soon thankfully. Until they arrive, I just wanted to comment.....

I'm still no help but this looks better and who would've thought that this bird was in such a dire situation not very long ago.

You are doing an amazing job taking such good care of her and staying on top of her care. That's a lucky bird. I hope you realize this but just in case you don't, I wanted you to know.