9 mo. pullet with bloody vent - UPDATE AND Q's

[patandchickens]

One of my approx. 9 month old sex-link (ISA Brown) pullets has her vent area feathers all yucked up with what looks like blood or bloody diarrhea. (Wet reddish-brown matter). There was also a small amount of runny poo at her vent, either green or contained poorly digested grass blades, I am embarrassingly unsure which. Her vent also seemed a bit puffy and, not sure how to describe it, enlarged or slightly-open, does that make sense? A little pinker than the other two chickens' vents, but not greatly inflamed-looking or anything like that.

(Edited to add: I went and checked her again, to make sure I hadn't missed anything, and I'd say it's almost more like dried blood than bloody diarrhea? And there was a 'booger' of what was pretty clearly just plain ol' -blood- hanging around her vent opening, which is definitely pinkish and abnormally slack and partly-open. Little tiny bit of greenish poo on vent feathers. The other two tried to avoid being caught [I'd been frisking them for mites/lice earlier today, which they did NOT enjoy, alas] but Matilda just sat there, which is not normal for her, so I think she is a little depressed.)

She doesn't seem really sick, though. Didn't see any sort of nasal discharge or etc, was pecking at her food ok. I only noticed it today; while I can't guarantee it has only appeared today, it's fairly noticeable when you Look, and I am really pretty sure I would have noticed it if it'd been that way for more than a couple days maximum. They *may* have mites, but otherwise I thought they were all pretty good 'n' healthy. Sigh.

The other 2 seem fine. They're all in a tractor together, so *are* exposed to wild bird droppings if that matters. They're eating layer crumbles plus various leftovers, mainly tomatoes. We've had a bit of a dropoff in egg production the past few weeks (like, maybe 14-17 eggs a week instead of 18-20) but had attributed this to shorter daylength and I do not honestly know who, specifically, is laying how many eggs.

What should I be doing?

Somewhat worried (edited to: DEFINITELY worried

)

Pat

 

[justusnak]

Wow Pat, Im sorry.....I really dont know what to say. Can you get a fecal and take it to a vet? Maybe intestinal?? Does she have an egg stuck in there maybe? Or broken inside?Maybe you can do an internal vent check with your finger, and see what comes out. Hopefully NOT egg shell. If so, clean her out really well. Maybe use some sort of lubricant for her comfort level. I hope someone else comes in and helps....maybe you can take her to the vet???

 

[dlhunicorn]

I would separate her and then get an ample poo sample and have it taken in for testing...
It might be a few things but both cocci and cappillaria worms will cause this,,,,

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks very much both of you for the suggestions. This morning Matilda seemed a bit subdued and maybe her neck hunched down a tad, but otherwise eating etc ok. No obvious *new* bloody stuff around her vent. Vent still somewhat slack or partly-opened.

I took your suggestion and tried gently poking around inside (and may I say, speaking as a PhD biologist, eeeeeuuuuww

). Unfortunately I do not know what the inside of a chicken is *supposed* to feel like, so all I can say is:

- the poo that came out when I was examining her looked
pretty completely normal to me.

- I can feel an egg in there, seems to be intact although I can
only feel the one end, but of course I dunno whether
it is stuck or not. I could not actually touch the egg, just feel it
through one or more layers of tissue. In fact I could not find
any sort of passageway into/through the oviduct, although I
found the 'poo chute' just fine, thanks

Does this sound
normal or does it indicate something's wrong?

- the tissues inside of the vent are very bruised and
somewhat bloody, mostly on one side. Not the vent itself,
but from just inside to at least 1-1 1/2" inside (was all I could
see). I am thinking that may be where all the blood was
from??

So I am wondering whether perhaps she had a partial prolapse yesterday, and while the internal tissues were hanging out they got battered and pecked and bloody but then retracted on their own, taking with them some blades of grass that got stuck to them (considering the green that I saw yesterday).

Does this seem reasonable? And if so, what are her chances, and what else could be doing?

I gave her a warm sitzbath to clean her bottom somewhat (wow, an old men's undershirt wrapped around the chicken makes a great 'handle'!). Then I stuffed some vaseline up her backside, towel-dried her as best I could, and put her (alone) in the big outdoor pen behind the kennel building. Unfortunately she can't see the other chickens from there but at least they can't peck her bottom or catch any possible germs from her, and I can find out what she produces in the way of poo and/or eggs.

If her poo looks suspicious I will find a vet to take a sample to. If she hasn't laid the egg by tomorrow I will conclude that she is eggbound I guess.

Should I be doing something(s) else, though?

Really worried,

Pat

 

[justusnak]

Pat, might I say....WOW, seem like you have a great handle on the situation. I had to laugh on the part......and may I say, speaking as a PhD biologist, eeeeeuuuuww I was laughing....but at the same time thinking....thats ONE brave person! LOL I have YET to stick my fingers in there! LOL I know when it needs to be done, but luckily have not had to as of yet.
If by chance you see her struggling to get that egg out....you might try a warm bath, and messaging from the front to the back of her tummy, to help move it. Now, remember, with holding, poking, and moveing her, she might not lay for a few days. Give her time....about a week I would think. Good luck, and please, keep us posted!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

Pat that seems a VERY reasonable assumption... keep her separated so you can monitor her with any other problems she might have ...