hen has polyp/ball below her vent. Is this normal?

[bakohens]

My one-year-old barred rock doesn't seem to be feeling well (lethargic, not that interested in food, and hunched back). I thought she may be egg bound (she hasn't laid in about three weeks) so I brought her inside and gave her a warm bath. After drying her off and cleaning her vent area (it wasn't any poopier than normal), I looked at her vent.

Her vent isn't swollen or inflamed, but she has a small, slightly-larger-than-an-eraser-sized ball at the base of her vent. Is this normal?

She is currently quarantined in the bathroom in case she is contagious. I'll keep you posted regarding her illlness, but I am curious about her vent. Has anyone else seen something like this?

 

[tammye]

pics would help. But are you looking at the top of her vent? like at the base of the tail? there is an oil gland there, looks like a little extra skin tab. give her some electrolyte solution in her water, may help give her a boost to get better. Any respiratory symptoms?

 

[chickened]

Sounds like a prolapse.

 

[bakohens]

I'll try to get a picture of it when I have another set of hands around. It's at the bottom of her vent (towards the feet area).

She has since developed other symptoms - one side of her face is swollen and her breathing seems to be a bit labored (not too terribly bad). But there is no funny smell and no bubbly eyes and no twisty neck - like all the horrible symptoms I've been reading about. She is still quarantined and I've started giving her Baytril along with yogurt, scrambled egg, and honey-laced layer mush. She hasn't gotten any worse in the last 36 hours or so and seems to somewhat enjoy her solitude in the bathroom.