Advice sought - dirty behind and discharge from vent

[marto26]

Today, I've found one of my girls (Polly) has a very dirty bottom and a discharge from her vent - photo attached.

Polly is probably 3-4 years old and was passed on to us early in 2020 when a neighbour moved to France.

She was sitting out in the sun earlier today and didn't come running when I went down to the run to throw some scratch. I've just been down there again, and found her alone in a bit of a state.

She sometimes has a dirty behind when she's eaten more than her fair share of the corn mix the girls get as a treat, but I've never seen it this dirty or with a discharge.

Yesterday, there was an egg with a very thin shell, but I'm not sure if it was hers or one of the others - two of our four girls lay the same size/colour eggs so it's impossible to know for sure.

Any/all guidance gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

Martin

 

[-Isla June-]

Hey, @marto26! This is vent gleet. Clean it quickly so it does not become an infection. I recommend adding some oatmeal or mash to her daily feed. Make sure she is getting lots of nutrients. This can also be because of stress. have you changed the feed? Added new chickens? Give me one second to write a new message.

 

[-Isla June-]

Give the chicken probiotics to flush out the bacteria in her tract. (antibiotics flush out good and bad bacteria, probiotics flush out bad bacteria. The chicken needs as much good bacteria as possible.) Sometimes excessive heat can cause vent gleet, along with unclean or moldy food and water. Here is the probiotic link I recommend: https://www.chewy.com/fresh-eggs-daily-poultry-probiotics/dp/256483

• offering a molasses flush consisting of 1/2 Cup of molasses per gallon of water - free choice for several hours then replaced with fresh, plain water

• adding 2-4 Tablespoons/gallon of apple cider vinegar with the 'mother' (such as Bragg) to the water

• giving each affected hen 1 Tablespoon of plain unflavored yogurt per day for probiotics (just be aware that too much can cause diarrhea)

You should immediately clean the area. You could bathe her in warm water with two tablespoons of Epson salt, or simply wipe her down though it might be a little more tricky. If necessary, cut the feathers around the infected area. Adding the following link to your chicken's diet is also a great way to treat this. https://www.chewy.com/fresh-eggs-daily-coop-kelp-organic/dp/256479

How Can I Prevent Vent Gleet?​

Prevention of Vent Gleet includes ...

• providing fresh, clean water and fresh feed, discarding old, wet feed immediately
• adding 1 Tablespoon/gallon of apple cider vinegar to the water
• adding probiotic powder to the daily feed

• offering a small amount of plain unflavored yogurt as an occasional treat

Hope this all helps!!

 

[azygous]

I don't believe this is vent gleet. Not many clues to go on, though. One clue to her "state" might be her dull eyes. She feels unwell. Another is the fluid dripping from her vent. That happens when there's a blockage in the reproductive tract. The last clue is the thin shell egg. When two eggs come down the oviduct at the same time, there isn't usually enough calcium for both eggs, and one can get hung up due to it being just a floppy membrane. There is also a danger of the egg yolk collapsing and starting bacteria growing.

Sounds pretty grim, I know, but you can help your hen by giving her a calcium tablet immediately to start strong contractions to expel the obstruction. This is what I recommend.

Give one tablet directly into her beak and one each day until her laying is back to normal.

It will help your hen get through this by setting up a crate in a quiet place away from the other chickens. I like to heat a bunch of old towels in the dryer and I place my patient on the warm towels to absorb the fluids and to relax her. Be sure your give her plenty of water to drink as this ordeal can be dehydrating.

If this doesn't turn out to be her problem, this treatment will cause no harm. But if this is the problem, this treatment can save her life.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't believe this is vent gleet. Not many clues to go on, though. One clue to her "state" might be her dull eyes. She feels unwell. Another is the fluid dripping from her vent. That happens when there's a blockage in the reproductive tract. The last clue is the thin shell egg. When two eggs come down the oviduct at the same time, there isn't usually enough calcium for both eggs, and one can get hung up due to it being just a floppy membrane. There is also a danger of the egg yolk collapsing and starting bacteria growing.

Sounds pretty grim, I know, but you can help your hen by giving her a calcium tablet immediately to start strong contractions to expel the obstruction. This is what I recommend. View attachment 3070977

Give one tablet directly into her beak and one each day until her laying is back to normal.

It will help your hen get through this by setting up a crate in a quiet place away from the other chickens. I like to heat a bunch of old towels in the dryer and I place my patient on the warm towels to absorb the fluids and to relax her. Be sure your give her plenty of water to drink as this ordeal can be dehydrating.

If this doesn't turn out to be her problem, this treatment will cause no harm. But if this is the problem, this treatment can save her life.

Agreed.

 

[-Isla June-]

Agreed.

Agreed as well.

 

[marto26]

Thank you all the input.
I treated her last night by bathing her and cleaning up the vent, and smearing her vent with some Canestan to head off any infection.
She was totally compliant during the bath and wash off, and whilst sitting with her wrapped up in a towel to dry her off, it became clear that she was very weak.
I tried giving her some yoghurt and oats, but she wasn't interested in any food or drinking and I found her dead this morning :-(
I'll get stocked up on calcium and poultry probiotic.

 

[LaFleche]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you all the input.
I treated her last night by bathing her and cleaning up the vent, and smearing her vent with some Canestan to head off any infection.
She was totally compliant during the bath and wash off, and whilst sitting with her wrapped up in a towel to dry her off, it became clear that she was very weak.
I tried giving her some yoghurt and oats, but she wasn't interested in any food or drinking and I found her dead this morning :-(
I'll get stocked up on calcium and poultry probiotic.

 

[azygous]

Sorry she died. It's obvious she didn't die of vent gleet.