Chicken with possibly prolapsed vent

[slh746]

This is a picture of my approximately 6mo Salmon Faverolle pullet's vent. This has been going on for about 2 weeks. I took her to the vet 2 weeks ago because she did not seem to be thriving. She is the only one, the other 2 are Blue Plymouth Rocks. He said it looked like she had been pecked, she also had a wound on her back. She weighs about 2lbs. The others are doing fine, they are about a month older and have started laying eggs. We converted our old wooden play set into a coop and run. I use wood shavings as bedding and sand in the run. I fed chick feed at first (I got them in July at 5 and 9 weeks), then flock starter. Now that the two are laying, I will switch to layer feed. This one is still getting flock starter. They also have access to oyster shell. I give a tablespoon or so of scratch every day, except on Wednesday, when they get the same amount of dried meal worms, except the sick one. In the picture, I had just given her a bath, so she is still wet. Vet did a fecal sample and found that she had coccidia and roundworms. I treated for the coccidia with Corid and vet gave me betadine to wash her vent area. He said she was too puny to treat for the roundworms yet. At first, her vent was soft with just the two wounds, one above and one below. Now the vent opening is hard and the entire area is black and protruding. Her poop was runny but has become more normal with the treatment for coccidia. I have kept her inside for the 2 weeks since the vet visit. I took a fecal sample to the vet yesterday (Nov 10) to check if treatment is working. I am at a loss. I have had chickens for 10 years and have never seen anything like this. Actually, at lot has happened this year that I have never seen (or heard of) before. Sorry this is kind of rambling, but I was trying to cover all the points in the posting guidelines. Thanks.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

poor chicken...
Good thing you went to the vet and got a treatment plan for the coccidia from him/her...
Did you show the vet this picture too?

@Kiki do you have time give tips to ease the symptoms of this poor Salmon Faverolle?

 

[Kiki]

Is she still able to poop?

 

[Eggcessive]

Her vent looks very damaged from the pecking. I would place her lower bottom in warm Epsom salts water for about 15 minutes every day, and near the end gently rub the scabby area with a soft cloth. Then after drying her bottom, apply either medi-honey or vaseline to keep it from drying out. Regular honey may work too. Hopefully this will heal, but she is going to need to be separated for some time. Even then, they may need a long reintroduction period with her inside a dog crate with food and water. Salmon faverolles can be meek and easily bullied, and rocks can be on the more aggressive side. Good luck with her.

 

[slh746]

Is she still able to poop?

Yes, her poops look pretty normal now.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is good that she is able to poop normally with her vent in that condition. Hopefully, she will heal in time. Keep her separated in a wire dog crate with food and water, but she could be kept close to the others, where they could see each other but not be pecked. If she is kept inside, I would let her be near them in a crate for some time each day. That way they won’t forget her and be more aggressive later. Vent pecking can have a number of possible causes, including overcrowding, feeding less than 16-20% protein in a balanced chicken feed, boredom from not getting outside to roam, too much light inside the coop, and some breeds can be more aggressive.

 

[slh746]

It is good that she is able to poop normally with her vent in that condition. Hopefully, she will heal in time. Keep her separated in a wire dog crate with food and water, but she could be kept close to the others, where they could see each other but not be pecked. If she is kept inside, I would let her be near them in a crate for some time each day. That way they won’t forget her and be more aggressive later. Vent pecking can have a number of possible causes, including overcrowding, feeding less than 16-20% protein in a balanced chicken feed, boredom from not getting outside to roam, too much light inside the coop, and some breeds can be more aggressive.

Ok, thanks. That is pretty much what I am doing, but it is slow going.

 

[slh746]

Her vent looks very damaged from the pecking. I would place her lower bottom in warm Epsom salts water for about 15 minutes every day, and near the end gently rub the scabby area with a soft cloth. Then after drying her bottom, apply either medi-honey or vaseline to keep it from drying out. Regular honey may work too. Hopefully this will heal, but she is going to need to be separated for some time. Even then, they may need a long reintroduction period with her inside a dog crate with food and water. Salmon faverolles can be meek and easily bullied, and rocks can be on the more aggressive side. Good luck with her.

Thanks, I have been bathing her bottom, but not every day. I will start that and see if I can find some medi-honey or vaseline.