possible prolapsed vent

[Sabrina24]

I noticed a couple days ago that one of our hens had a little blood near her vent and that she has no feathers in the area either, I assumed it was from her molting and she is acting normal (active with the flock, eating, etc.) I decided to get a closer look last night and noticed she has a good clump of poop stuck with a little half dried blood around it. We are getting ready to wash her up and separate her. I am assuming a prolapsed vent but we will know for sure soon. I picked up some electrolytes and probiotics today and will mix that with her water and we have a dog kennel that we will keep her in for a few days (our days are already pretty short here in the Pacific NW but I could still lay a blanket over it. She is still acting normal so I'm hoping she is going to be ok. My understanding is that if it reoccurs our best bet is to cull. This is our first time dealing with this so I'm hoping that isn't what we have to do. Any tips or advice or extras to look for? Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Once you get her cleaned up, post a few pictures of the problem, to make sure it is a prolapse.
If it is a prolapse sometimes you can successfully treat it, with hemorrhoid cream.

Here are instructions and photos for treatment by the Chicken Chic.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html

 

[Sabrina24]

We soaked her for 20-30 minutes yesterday and applied the hemorrhoid cream. There was definitely poop stuck and I'm sure it's a prolapse but there was so much dried stuff that it wouldn't all come off. Once we put her in the cage she had a huge poop and has pooped more today. She has been eating but my husband has been the one watching her so I'm not sure if she is drinking. With all the dried stuff I didn't feel comfortable pushing it back in yesterday but we are getting ready to soak her and try again. I will put a picture up too, our 7 year old took the picture so hopefully it helps. Any tips would be much appreciated. She is in a dog kennel, but like I said she was acting well before.

 

[Sabrina24]

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Were you able to get it back in after the second soaking?
Keep us updated.

 

[Sabrina24]

It looked better so we put more cream on it. Going to soak it for sure tomorrow. She is still eating and drinking and very active and alert.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is it still "out" , if so can you push it back in?

 

[Sabrina24]

I'm nervous to push it back in with dried stuff still on it. I'm not sure if it is blood, a scab or poop or all of the above but it wouldn't all come off and it looked like it was going to bleed if I kept trying. It had gone in a little on its own today. Is it ok to push it in if not all the crusty pieces come off? You can see the vent moving when we were cleaning her, is this normal? It looked like she was trying to poop. Sorry, a lot of questions, this has been a little intimidating.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would keep it moist. The cream will probably do that, it will also help shrink the inflammation.
Try soaking her in the morning and see if it looks better where it may go back in.
Have you felt inside about an 1" the make sure she doesn't have an egg stuck in there?
The vent naturally pulses most of the time.
By what you are describing it almost sounds like the dried poo was blocking her up, so she may have been "backlogged".

 

[Sabrina24]

Soaked her again today and got more brave and pushed it back in! I wasn't sure where to push and was nervous but once I found the right spot it went right in! It still looks a little swollen so hopefully it stays! Should I still feel for an egg? Thank you for your help and tips!