Vent Gleet or Egg Bound?

[cnj-tx50]

I have an older hen - 3 1/2 yrs - and for the last few weeks I have noticed that her rear end seems to be wet all the time. But she has been acting normal in all ways. I have 30 hens so hard to tell who poops where so not too sure about that. Yesterday I noticed when she came up to the house she was puffed up with her head tucked and eyes closed. She stayed at the back door almost all day. Same thing this morning so I just brought her in a gave her a bath and cleaned her rear up and cut away all the feathers. But while drying her I felt something that moved that was hard. It will move and disappear then it is back. I have never had a hen that was egg bound so not too sure what I am feeling or if it might be vent gleet. She does not smell bad at all. Any help?

 

[willowbranchfarm]

That's odd. You could try flushing her system with molasses in her water. Also you could try putting your finger up her vent and feeling for an egg.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Here is the link.
http://www.ultimatefowl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Vent_Gleet

 

[my sunwolf]

If she doesn't smell bad, chances are it's not vent gleet. Chickens with vent gleet tend to smell AWFUL. Definitely sounds more eggbound, try feeding her a little oatmeal mush with olive oil. If you have a warm place to put her, you can soak her vent in warm water for a few minutes to also try to loosen it up in there.

 

[cnj-tx50]

I have bathed and dried her. She is in a large cat crate at the moment. She can stand and turn around but not a lot of room. If she needs to stay in longer then I have an extra large dog crate. I did try to lubricate the vent and tried to feel around but could not feel anything other than what ever was moving in her tummy. I have her in the laundry room in the dark with a towel over the crate. She is eating and drinking.

 

[cnj-tx50]

Thank you for the link for the Vent Gleet. She only has a few of the symptoms but the main ones that I can see are not there - smelly poop, crop, black waxy substance. The poop is not firm - she did just poop - but not liquid either. It did not smell bad when she pooped.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

She may have worms.

 

[cnj-tx50]

Would I see these worms? I have never treated my flock for worms. I have 30 hens. They free range and all seem fine other than this one. I have had chickens now for about 6 years.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

You could see them in their poop but since they free range it might be difficult. Sometimes you don't even see them.

 

[cnj-tx50]

I clean the poop board every evening when I gather the eggs. I have never really seen anything that would look like a worm. I did check out the "Poo" pictures. My birds have always been glossy, active, and healthy. Just this one bird is a puzzle to me as I have not seen this kind of problem with the rear end before. I do have a vet that I could take a sample to but would all my birds have worms? Or should it just be a sample from this one bird?