Hi! I have a 4 week old ISA brown chick who gets a prolapsed vent (sort of) pretty regularly, and I don't know what to do to help. The first time it happened, I didn't notice immediately because she was at least a couple weeks old and (I thought) out of the woods for pasty butt and butt-related problems. I noticed when I scooped the brooder that her little vent was protruding and looked slightly pecked. I quickly swabbed the area with preparation H and triple antibiotic ointment and then very gently pushed the vent back into place. No problem. Unfortunately, I have now caught her running around with a large poop kind of stuck in her vent with the area red and bulging around it. This has happened several times. All I had to do to correct the problem was gently push up against the blockage, and it popped out like a cork. Her vent goes back to being fine each time. I am wondering if she is constipated or if she has a weak vent now from the original prolapse. If anyone has had an issue, please let me know what the outcome was for your bird. I am on the verge of putting all my month olds in the grower pen outside, but I absolutely don't want to do that if she will get her vent pecked by my other chicks. Also, how will this affect her egg laying abilities? ISAs are famous egg layers, and I don't want her to suffer constant prolapses when she is older. I am not sure what to do- 1. Wait and see (what I'm doing now) OR 2. Give her applesauce for constipation (from reading other forums) OR 3. Swab her vent with witch hazel to tighten her up (from reading other forums). Any chiming in or advice would be very welcome. Thanks in advance!
