Cull or Treat?

[Redschickens]

Hi everyone,

im trying to understand what is up with my hen. She was a beautiful,
Stunning hen we got from a (now known) not so reputable breeder. Over the winter we noticed she started to lose some feathers on her head and assumed she was getting pecked. She kept losing more feathers and they never seemed to grow back. Then she started losing them down her neck. We thought she was being being pecked but again never re-established her feathers. The other night I noticed her backside full of poop and fleet. Their water is changed regularity and there is AcV in it. Food from a local feed store, not store boughtLast night I took a closer look at her: no bugs (lice, etc) and noticed what appeared to be a prolapsed cloaca. I hope I’m saying that right. I soaked her, cleaned her up, replaced the prolapse and sent her to bed. Today I’m reading she needs to be separated which I will do. I guess my question is: is any of this related? Would it be possible to have something that was being expressed with the feather loss that has now progressed? I’m just not sure what to do for her, she seems unhealthy since winter and I don’t understand why. Our other hens are healthy. Thanks for any suggestions. Photos attached for clarification.

 

[CaradineCousins]

I have no answers and I'm so sorry she and you are going thru this hope she gets better soon and others with more experience pop in to help. [USER=85053]@Eggcessive [USER=415725]@EggSighted4Life @casportpony

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Those problems don’t seem serious enough to cull her for, so yay!

It doesn’t seem like they are connected, but she could be weak and more likely to get sick. Try to prevent her from laying eggs for a while, you can do this by keeping her in a cage with a blanket or something on it for at least 14 hours a day. Switch her feed to a high protein diet, like chick starter or grower, and feed her some scrambled eggs if you can.

I’m hoping she is okay, so good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep her separate for a few days to make sure that her prolapse stays in or you will need to keep reinserting it. Keep it lubricated with honey or oil when it is out, or the red tissue can dry out and die. I would soak her vent area in warm soapy or Epsom salts water once a day, and clean of any residual poo. Dry her well after each treatment. If she has leaky droppings, probiotics, and an antifungal medication called Medistatin (nystatin) probably would help. Some use Monistat cream or suppository orally for the same purpose. Nystatin can be prescribed by a vet, but the Medistatin is found online for pigeons.

Some birds will not regrow lost feathers until after they molt. I would watch for feather picking and bullying once she is back with her flock. Overcrowding, boredom from not getting outside to roam, and not enough protein in the diet are some reasons that birds will pick feathers and vents.