Prolapse?

I decided to dust my chickens today because one of them has really ragged feathers and I suspect lice. The others look healthy, bright combs, shiny feathers. Anyway as I grabbed the suspect hen - a buff orpington, one year old, and tipped her over, she did struggle and flap a bit (I think this may be why it popped out). I went to dust her and saw a pink, fleshy protrusion. I tried not to freak out, I put her down on her feet and she just stood there, trying to "pump" it closed I think. I had gloves on so I just pushed on it a bit and it went right in. I carefully tipped her again making sure she was relaxed before I let go of her body, and no problems, then dusted her. I watched her for a while and she seems fine. Is she likely to have problems when she goes to lay her egg today? I will be keeping an eye on her, but was planning to leave tomorrow and the next day. Advice? I watch them for a bit everyday, and I have never seen this happen to her before, I think it was a direct result of her flapping while I was holding her.

Quote:
NOT MY INFORMATION, FOUND THIS ON A SITE

First thing... separate the bird from the rest of the flock
or they will peck her out .. not a pretty sight..

This is the information I have for my own members on my own site..
http://fowlfacts.proboards40.com/ind... &thread=1442
If you decide to click on the link there is a lot more information in the thread... I have only put one part of it on here for you to read.. your welcome to go to the site and get the rest of the information..

Prolapse Information and Treatment

When a hen lays an egg the lower part of the oviduct is momentarily everted through the cloaca. Normally the hen can retract the oviduct after laying. A prolapse occurs when the hen cannot retract it and a part of the oviduct remains outside the body
Causes can be - being too fat, older hens , and in early laying pullets with low bodyweight, eating feed that has too high an energy level, or a fright can cause the hens’ oviduct to prolapse
A mass of tissue, often bloody and dirty, can be seen protruding through the vent
This is a real blow when it occurs, because it is often the best layers that are affected
Fortunately, it is not very common
Prolapse is difficult to cure because the hen continues to lay, and forces the organs out again after they have been replaced
A prolapse attracts the other birds to cannibalism

First line of defence – Treatment:

Chickens that show signs of prolapse can be helped by preventing them laying. However, if there is any small prolapse gently push it back into the chicken with your fingers. The chicken should then be put on a maintenance diet of wheat and water and put in a dark cage. Leave the hen there for a week.

In severe prolapse a purse suture and maintenance diet with the chicken kept in the dark, as above, works well. However, it is important to restrict the chickens diet to maintenance only for possibly a couple of months. This does work!! Alternative to maintenance diet is feeding the chicken enough to keep it alive, moving and keeping warm plus enough extra feed for it to produce eggs.

You may find that by reducing the feed it brings on a forced molt

By reducing feed intake so that the bird has just enough feed to keep it alive, moving and keeping warm you are feeding for maintenance only. The chicken will not lay eggs and so give it the best chance of recovery.

Treatment:
You can try to push the prolapse organs back in, very carefully
First, remove the hen immediately from the flock to prevent cannibalism
Clean the prolapse organ
Which will have become dirty
Use warm water and a very mild soap
Smear with a lubricating jelly like Vaseline and very gently push the prolapsed organs back into the body cavity

Isolating the bird and reduce the feed to try and stop her laying
She more than likely she has another egg already moving down the oviduct
The next egg laid could cause another prolapse

Helping to prevent further damage when a hen is prolapsed
1. Reducing swelling and allowing the muscles to contract
2. Preventing a yeast infection
3. Preventing them laying
4. If there is any small prolapse gently push it back into the chicken with your fingers
5. Put the hen on a maintenance diet of wheat and water
6. Put in a dark cage to stop the laying cycle (5 days to 2 months (severe case))
7. In severe prolapse a purse suture may be need to the cloaca

Wash area with sterile water and using preparation-H (this is an ointment used for humans who have piles or hemaroids)
Coat the extended portion in and around the vent area.
Preparation -H reduces the swelling tissue and thus allows the tissue to recede.


If the bird is left in this condition, the other birds will peck at her, and she will become infected and fly blown, die from loss of blood or blood poisoning
You should cull the bird immediately if this happens

A prolapse is not a disease and the bird can still be eaten





Get her out of the light RIGHT away....

Thanks for the information. I'm hoping it was just a fluke. It went back in and stayed in fine. She is laying her egg now, I think that will be the moment of truth.

Ok but if its not, pm me or update me right away. I had a hen whom was prolapsing, And she was in my room for 2 weeks in a kennel, but she got better and is fine now

Thanks! Keep your fingers crossed, she's one of my favorites! (of course!)

Yeah funny how that works.... One of my favorites prolapsed on me too.

I went out to lube her up with a little vaseline because she was looking dry and she had already laid her egg and everything was where it should be! I'm just going to watch her for a few days and hope for the best. Thanks for your support

ok thats good. Good luck

Aloah ErinG, Glad she's doing better. Sometimes these ARE one-time things. I think it would be wise to consider isolating her for just a few days, unless you are home all day and can watch her very closely. If it were to happen again the other hens could hurt her severely. But if you are close by, normal exercise, scratching and flapping and running will help her regain muscle tone and strength. I would also make an extra effort to gently keep her clean around the vent so she is easy to observe even across the yard. Good luck.

Thanks mccabe, I checked her on the roost last night and will watch her closely today. I also put out fresh oyster shells to prevent anyone else from the more common causes of prolapse.