Egg Removal/Stuck Half-way Out of Vent

[MeaganDuf]

Saturday morning I went outside to notice that my millie flueur d'uccle was standing outside of the coop in the rain. This is unusual behavior for her as she is usually never far for my lead hen, Lucy (bantam red cochin). I had an errand to run and when I got back she was still standing there, with "the droop". I gathered her up and noticed that she had an egg partially out of her vent. I rushed her to the vet and we placed her into an epsom salt water bath, very warm to the touch for 30 minutes. Afterwards we used the lubricant from the vets office and worked the egg free. It was unusually large and this is her first egg of the season since molting. I knew she was getting close as he comb had turned red again. She will be three this summer and has never had problems like this before. All of my hens (four total) have access to oyster shells, are layer feed and have access to scratch grains as well.

She is doing much better, however I have kept her inside since. She is defecating on her own, however her urates are now sticking to her backend. She has been getting a bath once a day, but it seems that I am still unable to break up the mass on her vent opening well. I know she has a small prolapse, but I do not want to attempt to push it back in until I am able to get the fecal matter off. I am afraid that it may be a bit scabbed, or worse, dead tissue, as it was dried up around her vent by the time I got to her. I think she began to lay the night before and was unable to get it completly out. The egg was unusually large for her size, her eggs are usually much smaller. I am getting Prep. H tonight and plan on cleaning her vent area again. But anything else that you can advise me on? She is a darling to me, my sweet Millie. She is eating and drinking like normal, any medication I can get for her water from the farm store? Thanks for any help you can provide to me.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I would recommend clipping or plucking the feathers and fluff around the vent to prevent any poopy bits from getting stuck. You're on the right track with the Prep H, I believe. Bathing a chicken can remove the oils from their feathers and dry their skin out... If you're just washing her bottom, that's great... But beware "dunking" your birds too often. Just a side note - unsure of your methods.

If she is still prolapsed, as long as she is away from other chickens, it should be okay... Keep it clean as best you can. It sounds like you're doing everything right.

Any pictures you can include would be VERY helpful! Preventing infection (if she tore her vent trying to pass the egg) is priority number one.

As long as she is exhibiting normal chicken behavior, she should continue to heal on her own. Keep an eye on her. If she stops eating or drinking, she will need to be tube-fed liquids to keep her alive until she recovers.

I'm sorry your girl is going through this, but I'm happy to hear she appears to at least be comfortable. I can tell you're a good mama.

Do you keep her as a pet or utility? I'm just wondering.

MrsB

 

[MeaganDuf]

Mrs. Brooke, thank you for the quick reply. I never "dunk" her, just fill up the sink enough so that her bottom and belly get wet. But I think tonight I will trim all feathers around her rump and clean the area again. As to your question on if she is a pet or utility, at first I wanted eggs. But then I got 3 little bantams as day old chicks and fell in love. Two were hens (Lucy, my cochin and Mille my d'uccle) and the third is my handsome rooster, Thor (bantam cochin). He was too harsh with the gals and is now in his own pen and is used as my educational bird for my programs with children. I got two more d'uccle hens, both porcelain d'uccle's. But Millie is my number one baby when it comes to my girls. Thor, however, is my heartbreaker. I dont know what I would do without any of them. Since I live away from home during the week and my husband must watch them all at the house while I work, I have brought Miss. Millie to my apartment while she heals. I think she is enjoying the pampered life in her dog kennel and free reign of the living room while I am home. She was preening her rear end this morning as I was getting ready, so maybe she'll be able to get the poo off her backside without my help.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I know it may sound kinda crunchy, but if you make a paste out of Turmeric (a yellow spice you may have in your kitchen) and a little water, you can dab that on whatever mass is on her vent. Turmeric is a killer anti-bacterial AND anti-inflammatory that has about a bazillion healing properties. If you want to try the "holistic" method, you could give that a whirl. No dosage requirements, and it's perfectly safe for her to eat! I've used it to fix chickens with lost toes before. Works like a charm...

But it will ***dye everything yellow.*** Your fingers, your chicken's butt, and anything you even consider touching will be bright yellow. Enjoy!

And as for your Millie, it sounds like all your mama needs is a little time and TLC. It sure sounds like she's suffering at your apartment!!!

Quote: MeaganDuf
*le sigh* Isn't that just the way of things. <3

We'll get your girl patched up!

MrsB

 

[MeaganDuf]

Update on Millie. Got home last night and knew that I needed to get the area around her bum cleaned off again. I was not wanting to give her another bath but it had to happen in order to get thee poop and scab soft enough to get away from her prolapse. Otherwise it would become highly infected and there would be no way she could survive. Covered her with a towel and she stood calmly. I got the scab off her rear end, trimmed away all feathers in the area and removed the poo/urates and scab. I know it was painful for her but it had to be done. Her prolapse was very red and swollen so I put on the Prep. H and got the prolapse back into her. I can only imagine how she was feeling, so she got some tasty treats before bed.

This morning her rear end is looking much better, not swollen and her prolapse is staying inside. I applied more Prep. H just to be on the safe side. Might do some more this evening and keep an eye on her. Hopefully she'll not experience another stuck egg in the future or have another prolapse.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Update on Millie. Got home last night and knew that I needed to get the area around her bum cleaned off again. I was not wanting to give her another bath but it had to happen in order to get thee poop and scab soft enough to get away from her prolapse. Otherwise it would become highly infected and there would be no way she could survive. Covered her with a towel and she stood calmly. I got the scab off her rear end, trimmed away all feathers in the area and removed the poo/urates and scab. I know it was painful for her but it had to be done. Her prolapse was very red and swollen so I put on the Prep. H and got the prolapse back into her. I can only imagine how she was feeling, so she got some tasty treats before bed.

This morning her rear end is looking much better, not swollen and her prolapse is staying inside. I applied more Prep. H just to be on the safe side. Might do some more this evening and keep an eye on her. Hopefully she'll not experience another stuck egg in the future or have another prolapse.

Sweet Millie. I'm happy to hear she was so good for her treatments. <3

Again, keep an eye on her for signs of going off her food and water. Dehydration will kill a chicken faster than a treatable infection will.

You're doing great! How are her poops looking?

MrsB

 

[MeaganDuf]

Mrs. Brooke, her poop/urates were solid this morning and looked normal. I made sure she drank from her water this morning, she seemed active and happy. She got a little portion of bread as a treat for allowing me to apply the Prep. H. She has her water and food in her dog kennel with her, she keeps wanting to preen her rear end, poor girl.