Passing broody poop through prolapse sutures?!!

[sesameandginger]

My 1yo Cochin has had quite a week, as we found her severely prolapsed on Sunday. She has been purse string sutured up after we got the closest egg out, hoping she will chill out and heal.

Well, today she has been straining to get a poop out rather violently and I went in to investigate: she has the smelliest, graniest, biggest poop of all time trying to emerge but she's mostly stitched up! The best I could do was use a fecal sample scoop thing (to test for worms as the cause) that allowed me to excavate some of the blockage out but man, is it ever extensive! I didn't want to risk putting too much pressure on the sutures so gave her an epsom soak and towel wrap to sleep. The only time she seemed comfy was in the bath, I wish she could stay there all night!

She had been broody for the last couple weeks, so I assume the infamous broody poop is here but the prolapse caused an unfortunate situation. Should I get her stool softener and hope for the best? I've already taken her to the vet more times than I can count but I might see if they can help? Chicken enema? Her stitches are due to be taken out Friday but I fear she'll tear them with her constipation...

Anything I haven't thought of? Olive oil, molasses and probiotics have all been administered orally thus far

Aye aye aye

 

[Arya28]

Hi there!

So sorry to hear about your hen and her situation. Thankfully, I don't have much experience in this area. However, last October I did have one of my silkie hens get a prolapse, and she needed to lay an egg while she was prolapsed. You can read about that whole situation here if you think you may find it helpful.

I know it's sort of different, but you may be able to find some useful information out of it. We got pretty lucky with her, thankfully! We only had to keep putting her vent back in for a few days, and then it stayed in. We didn't take her to the vet, so she did not get stitches or anything. We kept her inside in a dark room for a couple weeks (two weeks exactly!) to allow her to heal up. The dark room is to keep her from laying eggs.

I know you can administer rosemary for pain in water or food if you have any. We did that with her. I do know how big and gross broody poops are, because we had a broody hen hatch us out some eggs this winter....... yeah, not much needs to be said about that LOL

Is her whole vent stitched up? This probably seems like a dumb question, but it would seem a vet would do stitches so that the hen can still poop normally? I really don't know how this would work since ours never got stitches. I will say, my silkie did end up laying her egg whilst being prolapsed, and luckily everything turned out fine!

I know this kind of situation is scary. Probiotics are good, olive oil is good too. We used Vaseline, and aloe gel from our plant.

I guess to know about how to help her poop, I would need to know *how* stitched up her vent is, though I'm not really asking for pictures of it but, others on here might find pictures useful, so post them if you have them! I had to.

There might be others on here more qualified to answer your question, but I did take a veterinary science course if that counts for anything *shrugs shoulders*

Good luck and again, I'm sorry to hear about your hen!

 

[Alaskan]

I would think that all of the poo needs to be gotten out... one way or another.

-sigh-


But I think "excavating" or removing the stitches (with the understanding that she might immediately prolapse).

But you can't have her blocked up.

 

[sesameandginger]

Yes indeed, I need to get this girl cleared out! The stitches are loose enough for a little poop but unfortunately this colossal giant needs a full runway and her current situation is keeping it in. I just woke up and can hear her still grunting and it looks like she was straining all night cause it's caked with poo and trying the prolapse through the stitches!!! so my plan of action is another soak for her pain, go get some of that stool softener i saw on here, dulcolax, and then when the vet opens up at 11, see what they can do! When you're already $600 in, and the end is in sight, I think another $50 exam isn't the worst idea. If the poop caused the prolapse, then atleast she doesn't have reproductive issues so a long life might still be in the cards!

Thank you for your support, this site is always such a great resource.

 

[sesameandginger]

Just got a rock hard chunk out! Poor girl.

 

[Alaskan]

oh good!
The more you can get out the better!

 

[rebrascora]

I'm so sorry that your cochin girl is still having problems. I'm a little confused because if she was broody a fortnight ago, then how come she prolapsed. I've only ever known a prolapse be caused by an egg and I thought your vet removed an egg or part of it. If she is laying eggs then it is unlikely she is broody and would not be doing broody poops. That said, if she was egg bound then that would prevent her from pooping and back her up so that she effectively has a broody poop (a poop that has been held for 24hrs or longer) needing to come out. I'm inclined to think the vet may have tied her purse string off a little tight. You might be able to gently irrigate her with a turkey baster, but there would be a risk of her getting an oviduct infection if any got in there.
An Epsom salts flush might help get things moving in the digestive tract as another option to try. I would not give her access to any solid/dry food, just small sloppy feeds made by soaking pellets in water until they go to mush with Nutri Drench or similar supplement added. If you go for Dulcolax make sure you get the stool softener and not the stimulant as both are marketed under the same brand name I believe.
Having spent that amount of money on veterinary fees so far, I think you may be right about another visit rather than mess with her yourself at this stage and risk a serious setback of worse! Please keep us updated. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for her and you.

 

[sesameandginger]

She busted through the sutures and is back to straining every minute! Luckily her vent looks stronger now, but the issue is poop dried inside now! epsom salt soak number 3 is taking place, with witch hazel and dawn soap in the mix to try to dissolve the poop. I found a honey bandage at cvs and can only think to bandage that to her bottom until I see the vet this afternoon. Any magical poo dissolving techniques?! Orajel without benzocaine for the pain perhaps? If she keeps straining I fear the end is near

 

[Eggcessive]

I would remove the purse string suture or bring her in to the vet to remove it. I have never had this done to a chicken, but were you not to open it when she needed to pass droppings? Please educate us about it when you find out. I would be on the phone to the vet now.

 

[rebrascora]

Can you work your finger inside her vent whilst she is soaking and try to loosen things up whilst in the water. How tight is the purse string?

She busted through the sutures

Do you mean that the sutures broke or her flesh pulled through them or she has prolapsed again despite the purse string, or she has managed to force some poop through the limited opening.