Help - impacted vent on hen

[coolchickens]

My astra. hen has had a watery diarrhea this last wk so today I caught her and was going to wash her up and when I got thru the feathers by her vent, I found the vent was wide open the size of an egg but appears to be impacted with poop. I've been soaking her in warm water but cannot get it to budge. Is it poss. this could be a "broken" impacted egg with poop around it. It is adhered to the walls of her vent so tight I'm afraid I'll hurt her trying to pull it off. Any ideas re soaking or putting oil in to soften. I soaked her for about 30 min. and it did not soften up much. I really do not want to cull her.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Have you tried massaging the area with oil yet? That could help.

Keep us posted.

 

[SpottedCrow]

You could also try flushing the area with a fleet enema or a squeeze bottle of warm water...
If it's just the poop stuck you could trim her bum feathers too.

 

[coolchickens]

It is really weird looking! The vent is open wide but the poop, if it is poop, is packed so hard its like a rock. A very small amount oozes out of the hard mess where there must be a little hole (and the color appears normal, thank goodness) but the rest I can't even pick out. I would say the vent opening is the size when an egg comes out but it is hollowed like (poss. the egg broke in there?) and then maybe poop hardened around it? I even tried using a dentist pick to pick some out and it HARD. Can't get it out. I held her again in the warm water for 20 min. or so and tried, still hard as a rock. She is eating good, active, & appears it doesn't bother her, other than she can't poop but very small amt's out that little "crack" in the hard part. I tried sqirting some oil all round it but can't get it to even break away from the skin of the vent. Anyone have any ideas for me? Thanks

 

[nzpouter]

you sure it's not egg bound?