Help needed - 2nd prolapsed chicken

[Tim3]

Hi

I'm new to this so please forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere. We have a small flock of 5 chickens, 3 of them bought at 20 weeks old back at the beginning of spring & a further 2 bought at 19 weeks old mid summer. The 1st 3 weren't laying when we bought them but started a week or so later, the 2nd 2 were laying when we bought them.

Last week one of the younger ones suffered a fairly serious prolapse, which we tried to clean, apply honey & Prep H and re-insert. It kept falling out, and in spite of being kept in the dark she kept trying to lay. We also tried the bandage method for a couple of nights but still kept falling out each time worse than the last. Eventually after 6 days of seeing her condition worsen we made the difficult decision to kull her.

So, now we're down to 4 ladies. Today we've noticed a 2nd bird also has a smaller prolapse;

• Is there anything other than the above treatment or possibly a purse stitch that we could do?
• Is there anything we could be doing wrong in terms of feed/care that could be causing this, it seems strange that both have happened so close together?

They are in a shop bought coop at night designed for up to 8 birds, with an outer wire run measuring 6m x 2.4m. Normally the door to the outer run is left open & they free-range around the garden. We normally feed them layers pellets, with treats of strawberry, courgette, mealworm & their favourite treat is to 'help' with digging over the veggie beds by eating all the worms and grubs we unearth. Occasionally they will get corn mixed in with the layers pellets for variety. There is always grit down in a separate feeder, and we mix oyster shell occasionally with the main feed. We also mix a seaweed supplement with the feed.

If anyone can shed any light why this is happening, or can offer any advice on what we can do to prevent it happening again we'd be really grateful. It's upsetting to see any animal suffer & we'd hate to lose another of our girls.

Tim

 

[Smoochie]

Seems odd to have two chickens in such a short period have a prolapse. Are you sure it is not a pickout/ blowout/ vent picking? Usually prolapse happens when an egg is too big or the pullet is immature when laying begins.

 

[Tim3]

Hi

And thanks for your reply, keep em coming please.

I don't think it's vent picking, the first chicken was definately prolapsed. Her insides were hanging out like a big red golf ball. We separated her from the others, cleaned it, covered with honey & Anusol & left overnight. The swelling & redness reduced a fair bit and we were able to pop it back in.

Keeping it in was the problem. We kept her in a box in the kitchen, in the dark & with water only for the first 48 hours to reduce any straining to poop. In spite of being in the dark she continued to try & lay eggs. Every time she tried to lay the prolapse popped out again, looking more red and angry than the last. It also popped out in between laying, 4/5 times per day. After 2 days we re-introduced food, just a bit of corn & oyster shell rather than layers pellets. We had to help the eggs on their way as she couldn't squeeze them out once they were in the prolapse rather than the vent.

All in all it was quite distressing for us as well as the chicken and the prolapse got redder & more inflamed, it ended up seeming the best thing for her to end it.

This 2nd chicken is nowhere near as bad, there's no blood just what looks like a smaller version of the same thing so am hoping we can treat it more successfully than the first. Will keep a careful eye though just in case there's a new behaviour or something we've missed.

 

[Tim3]

Oh... and yes the eggs are large & the 2 birds to suffer are the smallest of the flock

 

[loopipi]

Hi,
I had a hen with a prolapse ( egg was actually in the sack outside the body). I tried to get it out by stuffing it back in etc.. it was horrible.. I finally had to do surgury on her with an exacto knife, a towel and a prayer. Got the egg out then stuffed her prolapse back in with honey. She looked horrible for about five days but, made a full recovery and laid eggs after that .. too bad a fox got her .. anyway.. there is hope. Look on my threads if you want the story blow by blow. I almost put her down several times... but, glad I did not..

 

[casportpony]

I read somewhere that you need to almost starve them until the egg binding/prolapse issue is resolved. Withholding food should cease egg production and allow the prolapse to heal. I've only had two, so my experience is quite limited. Mine were treated with a combo of warm baths, steam-baths, betadine (cleaning), OB Lube/KY Jelly in vent and Preparation-H on vent for swelling.

Here are a couple of links for you to look at:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html
http://www.avianweb.com/eggbinding.html

 

[Tim3]

Hi

Just an update.... Our girl seems to be responding quite well. The prolapse has stayed in so far, as long as she doesn't try and lay an egg this afternoon I think we might be ok with this one.

Still seems odd to me though that 2 should have the same problem in quick succession. As far as I can tell we seem to be doing everything right food & nutrition wise. Calcium levels should be ok with layers pellets, oyster shell, seaweed supplement & free ranging. I'm hoping it's just a horrible co-incidence, but is anyone aware of an illness or toxic plant which could prevent the absorbtion of calcium? Or is there anything we can do which will reduce the size of the eggs, all are on the large side and our birds aren't particularly big?

Tim