Vent Gleet or something else?

[KrazyKhick]

Hello,

Thanks to this website I thought I had diagnosed my hen's issue but now I'm not so sure.

Yesterday I noticed her butt looked "dirty' took a closer look and noticed the feathers near (just below actually) her vent looked muddy. Came here and saw it could be vent gleet. So I did the steps to clean her (gave her a soak/bath), seperated her, and offered acv in her water at recommended amount plus some organic plain yogurt.

After doing all of this I popped back on here to keep reading on the subject. A few things I noticed gave me pause and would like to double check with those who know more about chicken health than me.

1. No odor, discharge, yellowish stuff or pasted poop.
2. No redness or irritation or mucus
3. Fluffed feathers...she's a silkie so I can't say but her feathers look normal to me.
4. None of the behaviors such as hunching, eyes different, or tucking head under wing.

She seems just fine except for the muddy looking rear which is clean now (muddy as in looking like diarrhea) . She's sitting in a nice crate in my room watching Dr. Phil. Did I just catch it early? Do I really need to keep her seperated? They have been free ranging every day for long periods of time. Could she just have eaten something bad?

On a happier note....my first time giving a chicken a bath! OMG...so the bath was easy but the blow drying after got me laughing so hard I was almost in tears. She loved it! I didn't have to hold her still or anything. It took a long time and she never wanted it to end. SO funny.

Thank you in advance for any ideas you may have!

Keilemarie

 

[kimthom66]

I am having a similar situation with a silkie hen but my hen is not laying. How old is your silkie? I too don't know if its vent gleet or egg bound? She acts perfectly healthy and the pasty stuff around her vent is more white, then yellowish and no odor? But she has only laid 1 egg since I have had her and I got her in April!

 

[KrazyKhick]

Hi,

Sorry to hear of your hen's trouble. My silkie is about one year old. It worked itself out somehow. She returned to the flock & I never did have another problem with her. I think since they free range, she ate something she shouldn't have.

About your hen. How old is she? If she is of laying age then there's got to be something that needs looking after. Even if there is a period of adjustment she should be laying now. IF she's of age that is. Have you looked up here how to tell if she's egg bound? I thought I had one once and took the steps outlined on this website to see if in fact she was egg bound. If you find she's not egg bound I would post a new thread and ask the experts here.

Here a a good place to start: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-diagnose-and-treat-a-egg-bound-hen

Best of luck with you hen!!!!!