Help! Is this a prolapsed vent?

[CookieChookie]

Ive soaked her for half an hour in warm water with a little tea tree oil added (as I didn’t have any other antiseptic), cleaned off the poo and I cut off some of the feathers around the vent but didn’t want to push the protruding part back in till I actually knew what it was. The black part is hard, not soft. She eats, runs, jumps and looks and acts happy and healthy as. Only signs of illness are alternate watery poos then more formed poos then watery again - and the big thing coming out of the top side of her vent. I’ve now stopped feeding her and have removed her from the rest of the flock. She’s in quarantine haha! Can anyone tell me exactly what this is?

 

[Sequel]

You've cleaned up the area really well, until one of the ER people chime in the only thing I could tell you is to keep it moist with some antibiotic ointment or Vaseline, whatever you have. If she's still willing to eat I would let her eat and drink freely. If she isn't acting really ill it might be less stressful to her to have her protected from but still visible to her flock.
I can't tell you what it is but hopefully someone who can will respond soon. It is late evening in the US so it's possible this won't be seen for several hours yet. Good luck! I hope it all comes good for you and your chook!

 

[CookieChookie]

You've cleaned up the area really well, until one of the ER people chime in the only thing I could tell you is to keep it moist with some antibiotic ointment or Vaseline, whatever you have. If she's still willing to eat I would let her eat and drink freely. If she isn't acting really ill it might be less stressful to her to have her protected from but still visible to her flock.
I can't tell you what it is but hopefully someone who can will respond soon. It is late evening in the US so it's possible this won't be seen for several hours yet. Good luck! I hope it all comes good for you and your chook!

Thank you. I don’t have antiseptic cream or Vaseline so used coconut oil which I read is ok.

 

[Sequel]

Thank you. I don’t have antiseptic cream or Vaseline so used coconut oil which I read is ok.

Yeah they use that a lot. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this!

 

[Sequel]

How is she doing today? I will tag some people from different time zones. @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive @coach723 @Texas Kiki @casportpony @azygous

 

[Wyorp Rock]

View attachment 1888064 Ive soaked her for half an hour in warm water with a little tea tree oil added (as I didn’t have any other antiseptic), cleaned off the poo and I cut off some of the feathers around the vent but didn’t want to push the protruding part back in till I actually knew what it was. The black part is hard, not soft. She eats, runs, jumps and looks and acts happy and healthy as. Only signs of illness are alternate watery poos then more formed poos then watery again - and the big thing coming out of the top side of her vent. I’ve now stopped feeding her and have removed her from the rest of the flock. She’s in quarantine haha! Can anyone tell me exactly what this is?

I'm sorry about your hen. Yes, it looks like a partial prolapse. Does she still lay eggs?
The black part that is hard has probably turned necrotic. It would be good to give her a soak in a warm epsom salts bath a couple of times a day. Gently scrub the blackened area with a wash cloth. The exposed tissue needs to be kept moist so the rest of it doesn't harden and turn black.
Hopefully as swelling goes down and the tissue gets softer it will go back in, but you may want to push it in after soaking/scrubbing for another day or so to see if it will stay in. The worry would be when she tries to lay an egg if she pushes it out further. It sounds like she may already be struggling to poop well.

I would make sure she's drinking. You can limit the amount she eats, but I would not completely withhold food. Give her her normal feed. Extra calcium for a couple of days may also be beneficial.

 

[CookieChookie]

How is she doing today? I will tag some people from different time zones. @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive @coach723 @Texas Kiki @casportpony @azygous

Cheers for that! I put her back in the coop to be with her sisters yesterday arvo and right now she’s neck deep in the feeder pigging out so yeah, she’s acting completely normal. No change in the thing sticking out of her vent.

 

[CookieChookie]

I'm sorry about your hen. Yes, it looks like a partial prolapse. Does she still lay eggs?
The black part that is hard has probably turned necrotic. It would be good to give her a soak in a warm epsom salts bath a couple of times a day. Gently scrub the blackened area with a wash cloth. The exposed tissue needs to be kept moist so the rest of it doesn't harden and turn black.
Hopefully as swelling goes down and the tissue gets softer it will go back in, but you may want to push it in after soaking/scrubbing for another day or so to see if it will stay in. The worry would be when she tries to lay an egg if she pushes it out further. It sounds like she may already be struggling to poop well.

I would make sure she's drinking. You can limit the amount she eats, but I would not completely withhold food. Give her her normal feed. Extra calcium for a couple of days may also be beneficial.

Awesome, thanks for the advice. I’ll do that. I don’t know if she laid yesterday as they’re not all laying every day at the moment. I’ll have to watch them closely today to see if she goes into the laying box.

 

[Eggcessive]

She really should be separated in a dog crate or cage until her vent is pushed back inside, so that the hens are not pecking at her prolapse. Does there seem to be a tear in the prolapsed vent about 3 o’clock toward the center of the pic? Keep the whole prolapse from drying out with oil or cream.

 

[CookieChookie]

She really should be separated in a dog crate or cage until her vent is pushed back inside, so that the hens are not pecking at her prolapse. Does there seem to be a tear in the prolapsed vent about 3 o’clock toward the center of the pic? Keep the whole prolapse from drying out with oil or cream.

She’s in the laying box now so I’ll leave her be till she comes out on her own then bring her inside. Don’t have a crate but I have chicken wire so will rig something up. And you’re right there’s definitely a tear. Will this heal if I keep giving her Epsom salts baths and oiling the area? I read you shouldn’t try to insert it back in when there’s still hard black parts on it.