Help!! Something is hanging from my hen!!

[AlexisAlderWill]

We have a flock of 13 hens. Had this flock for about three years with no issues. Went out to spend some time with them and saw about almost all our Rhode Island Red hens had bloody butts. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Now one of them has something stringy hanging from her. I can’t tell if it’s something to do with her egg laying or if they have some sort of illness. This one in particular also has her back hunched. She looks like she’s in discomfort but the other ones seem normal aside from the blood I saw. I feed them either all flock or layer feed at all times, and they always have a bowl of oysters in their coop. Any suggestions would be great

 

[coach723]

Can you get some better, closer up pictures of the birds in question, so we can see the vents and damage? The one in the picture looks like she may have prolapsed and then been pecked/cannibalized. I'm concerned that what is hanging out may be intestine or oviduct. If that is the case then really she needs to be euthanized. It will lead to infection and she will slowly suffer until she dies, if I am correct.
I don't know why this would happen to multiple birds at the same time. How much space do they have? Have there been any changes to the flock recently? Any that have damaged or bloody vents need to be separated, the blood will draw more pecking from others and lead to worse damage.

 

[LaFleche]

In case you just have one hen left whose butt is untouched, she will most probably be the culprit that is pecking/cannibalizing her flock mates.
The one with the ripped intestine needs to be put out of her misery.

Very sorry this happened.

 

[AlexisAlderWill]

Here is an updated closer picture. I’ve separated the one that has is showing signs of distress. All others are completely normal in behavior in comparison to her. I tried to soak her in a warm epsom soak but I need to try again with a deeper container

 

[AlexisAlderWill]

Can you get some better, closer up pictures of the birds in question, so we can see the vents and damage? The one in the picture looks like she may have prolapsed and then been pecked/cannibalized. I'm concerned that what is hanging out may be intestine or oviduct. If that is the case then really she needs to be euthanized. It will lead to infection and she will slowly suffer until she dies, if I am correct.
I don't know why this would happen to multiple birds at the same time. How much space do they have? Have there been any changes to the flock recently? Any that have damaged or bloody vents need to be separated, the blood will draw more pecking from others and lead to worse damage.

Right now, im thinking that maybe there is some sort of mite going around the flock and they’re picking at each other causing the bleeding. They have an extremely large chicken run with more than enough space. However they haven’t been rotated in a very long time so it’s possible they’ve caught something. But the one bird in question is the only one with something hanging like this and behaving different

 

[Debbie292d]

Here is an updated closer picture. I’ve separated the one that has is showing signs of distress. All others are completely normal in behavior in comparison to her. I tried to soak her in a warm epsom soak but I need to try again with a deeper container

That just doesn't look good. If it was a broken egg, it'd be different, but that looks like part of her has been pulled out, and she won't make it I'm afraid.

 

[AlexisAlderWill]

In case you just have one hen left whose butt is untouched, she will most probably be the culprit that is pecking/cannibalizing her flock mates.
The one with the ripped intestine needs to be put out of her misery.

Very sorry this happened.

Absolutely if it is an intestine I’ll sadly have to put it down. However if this is some sort of tapeworm or eggshell problem I’d love to try and help her if anyone knows more about that

 

[AlexisAlderWill]

That just doesn't look good. If it was a broken egg, it'd be different, but that looks like part of her has been pulled out, and she won't make it I'm afraid.

Right I know she does look like it’s getting that way. I just heard a rumble in her tummy so I’m not sure what that is but probably not good

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry about your chicken. Cannibalism occurs if a chicken is pecking at a vent. Sometimes having a prolapsed vent or cloaca will bring on more pecking at the site of red or blood. If they keep pecking they can pullout the intestines. If that is intestines (bowel,) I would euthanize the chicken. Common causes of vent pecking are feeding an unbalanced diet lacking in protein, overcrowding, boredom from not getting outside to roam, too much light or fighting over nest boxes, and sometimes certain breeds can be more aggressive. Coach723 gave good advice on soaking.

 

[AlexisAlderWill]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry about your chicken. Cannibalism occurs if a chicken is pecking at a vent. Sometimes having a prolapsed vent or cloaca will bring on more pecking at the site of red or blood. If they keep pecking they can pullout the intestines. If that is intestines (bowel,) I would euthanize the chicken. Common causes of vent pecking are feeding an unbalanced diet lacking in protein, overcrowding, boredom from not getting outside to roam, too much light or fighting over nest boxes, and sometimes certain breeds can be more aggressive. Coach723 gave good advice on soaking.

Agreed. Space isn’t an issue, I’ve just moved her into a cage to separate her while I made her salt bath. They have an enormous run and walk in coop. So I’m thinking mites