(GRAPHIC IMAGE) Help Needed, Family Member's Chicken Had Severe Vent Prolapse

[azygous]

Cause of prolapse is usually a blockage that the hen is struggling mightily to relieve by pushing as hard as she can. Calcium citrate can help strengthen her contractions to make her pushing more effective. Give one whole table immediately.

The prolapse will persist until the blockage clears, and then it will retract. Meanwhile, you need to care for the prolapse as it's prone to injury and trying out and infection. I wrote down all the steps to care for prolapse here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ng-from-vent-prolapse-oh-my-what-to-do.76124/

 

[Kiki]

Just by your vet mentioning to stop the grain tells me that perhaps your bird is overweight and or not getting a balanced diet.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ive-system/prolapse-of-the-oviduct-in-poultry

 

[GMJoyce]

We've ordered quite a lot of the stuff suggested here for care and it should arrive tommorrow, for now we're doing what we can to keep the prolapse clean, since it's not our chicken we can't really make the call to cull it but I'll make sure the owner knows that's what a lot of you guys think. We'll see what we can do but neither of us are familiar with chicken care and the owner hasn't seen anything like this before either.

Thanks for all the messages and help. It's much appreciated.

 

[GMJoyce]

The vet only saw a picture of the bird as covid restrictions where we live mean they aren't too keen on making appointments. But it's possible the owner has been over feeding. I'm not familiar with how large a chicken of this breed is supposed to get.

 

[Kiki]

The vet only saw a picture of the bird as covid restrictions where we live mean they aren't too keen on making appointments. But it's possible the owner has been over feeding.

Please remind the owner that a balanced diet is worth it's weight in gold at preventing things. Remind them that a pelleted or crumble feed only is best. The birds don't need treats. Treats take away from them getting a balanced diet.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

The vet only saw a picture of the bird as covid restrictions where we live mean they aren't too keen on making appointments. But it's possible the owner has been over feeding. I'm not familiar with how large a chicken of this breed is supposed to get.

If they feed lots of scratch grains (cracked corn type feed) It's very possible that obesity caused the prolapse.

Please remind the owner that a balanced diet is worth it's weight in gold at preventing things. Remind them that a pelleted or crumble feed only is best. The birds don't need treats. Treats take away from them getting a balanced diet.

 

[GMJoyce]

Will do! Certainly learning a lot about chicken care at the moment.

 

[Weeg]

Is she still willing to eat and drink? This is very important, is she stops eating its very unlikely she will make it, and if she had a chance she would need extensive constant care which will likely involve tube feeding, not everyone is okay with doing that.

Another thing to think about beside the injury is how her life condition is, does she still have a will to live? Chickens can take a LOT of pain, and they hide it very, very well. It takes A LOT of intense pain for a chicken to give up, and stop eating. If she is stile eating and drinking, and seems to have a will to live, I would keep treating her. This is a difficult situation, keep up the good work, your doing a great job!

 

[Weeg]

I would also dissolve half a baby aspirin, (I have used a normal aspirin with no issues as far as I could tell) in water to help with pain. You can also just cut it in half, open her mouth, and pop it down her throat, that would be more fool proof to make sure she gets it all quickly.

To open her mouth, I like to sit down and hold them between my legs, then, grab the top or bottom of her beak and she should open her mouth. She wont willingly, and she will shake her head and fight you, (if she fights thats another good sign) but you should eventually be able to hold it open after she gives up. Then pop it in her mouth, and it goes down easy.

 

[Weeg]

I'm pretty sure that Aspirin is supposed to help reduce inflammation as well, so that would be a good thing to try.
I'm so sorry your in this situation, its so hard. Just remember that you are doing an amazing job, and you are the only person who will know when its time to cull. Others may have opinions, but you are the only one who can make that decision. Keep up the good work, you can do this!