Hen has white stuff coming out of her vent?

[samanthab2013]

I've had chickens for the past couple years now. A couple of my hens have gross white stuff coming out of their vents. A while back, we had the same thing with one hen and we ended up having to put her down because she had anemia. These hens that have it now are still happy and scratch around. One hen will poof up somewhat and that makes me think she is next to die. Any thoughts? Here are some pics of the hen I think may be sick.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Is she roosting at night or sleeping in the nest? If she's sleeping in the nest, that will make her backside nasty as she poo's a lot during the night.

If that's not it, you might want to look at the article linked below regarding Vent Gleet. There's a picture that may be of help. Good Luck!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I could not see any pics, but it does sound like vent gleet

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Scroll down for the pictures and it will also give some ways to help get rid of Vent Gleet.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I've had chickens for the past couple years now. A couple of my hens have gross white stuff coming out of their vents. A while back, we had the same thing with one hen and we ended up having to put her down because she had anemia. These hens that have it now are still happy and scratch around. One hen will poof up somewhat and that makes me think she is next to die. Any thoughts? Here are some pics of the hen I think may be sick.

>> peck here << for a focused google search ...
I suspect your birds have what's commonly known as 'vent gleet' (cloacitis).

 

[my sunwolf]

Get them massive amounts of PRObiotics (food with live, active cultures), high protein feed, and hope for the best. You can also give them daily baths and afterwards smear yogurt and apple cider vinegar in their vents (icky but works). My hen laid and foraged through almost a year of vent gleet... I finally had to cull her because her immune system was shot and she kept contracting other problems. Good luck.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Symptoms

Birds can show some or all of the following symptoms:

• Depression
• Loss of energy
• Rough feathers
• Diarrhea
• Distended sour crop
• Slow growth
• Weight loss
• Decreased hunger and increased thirst
• Soiled vent feathers
• White sores near the vent
• Loss of feathers near the vent
• Reddened or swollen vent tissue
• Gray powdery or black waxy substances on the vent
• Very bad smelling droppings
• Patches in the throat that look like yeast or wax
• Unexplained laying problems
• Swollen vent

http://www.ultimatefowl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Vent_Gleet

 

[cowcreekgeek]

A continuation of willowbranchfarm's post ...

Treatment


Laxatives

The purpose of laxatives is to flush the digestive system of toxic substances, in this case yeast.

• Molasses: Offer one pint of molasses to 5 gallons of water free-choice to the affected birds for about four hours. Treat severely affected birds individually if they cannot drink. Return the birds to regular water after the treatment period. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)

• Epsom Salt: 1 lb Epsom Salt per 15 lb feed or 1 lb Epsom Salt per 5 gallons water for 1 day. Give the epsom salt feed mixture as the sole feed source for a one day period. This feed can be used only if the birds are eating. If the birds are not eating, use the water solution. If the birds are unable to eat or drink by themselves, use individual treatment with 1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt in 1 fl oz water. Feed the bird with a syringe. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)

• Castor Oil: Dose individual birds with .5 oz castor oil. (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008)

Internal Anti-fungals

• Copper Sulfate: Sometimes used as a follow-up treatment after flushing with a laxative. Dissolve 1 oz copper sulfate and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 15 gallons water. Use as the sole water source during the course of the disease outbreak. Copper sulfate is often referred to as "bluestone". (Solutions Used For Poultry, 2008) Copper sulfate in a single dose of greater than 1 gram is fatal.

• Potassium Permanganate: A solution of 1 tablespoon powder in 4.25 gallons water is an old remedy for diarrhea in adult chickens.

• Nystatin: 62.5-250 mg nystatin and 7.8-25 mg sodium lauryl sulfate per liter of water for 5 days. (Saif 2003)

• Garlic: Milder than chemicals, 1 clove of garlic (1/4 teaspoon dried) per gallon of water is a traditional treatment that does not effect the taste of the eggs.

External Anti-fungals

Fungicides can be applied externally to the vent and around the beak to reduce sores and waxy patches.

• Sulfur: sulfur powder dusted on the vent area can greatly reduce sores and tissue buildup around the vent. Do not dust sulfur on the head. Sulfur can be found in garden centers.

• Fungal creams designed for humans, for instance for athletes' foot, can be applied to both vent and head.

Prevention

Environment

Keep food sources clean, do not feed bird spoiled food, and store feed in a dry place. In young chicks, it may be caused by fungus on the surface of the egg. For future hatchings, dip the eggs in an iodine solution before incubating. (Saif 2003)

Probiotics

Probiotics are live beneficial gut bacteria that occur naturally in all animal digestive tracts. Various probiotics are in yogurt, liquid human probiotic solutions, or powdered livestock probiotics. If you specifically want to prevent thrush, use a probiotic that contains both Acidophilus and B. bifidum.
Acidify the water using apple cider vinegar (2 to 4 tablespoons vinegar per gallon of water) to inhibit yeast growth and up to 1 Tbsp live-culture yogurt per bird.

 

[NJNick]

Very good info cowcreekgeek.
So if the chicken is not to far gone with its illness. Any of the flushes should work. And then try. One of the anti internal fungals. I need to get a full page print out of this and get it laminated. And keep in my Cockers Box or my carry around box. Which has many vitamins and tools in it. But it seems like the items that I need. Just gets to be more and more.
Who ever said raising chickens is easy. Was well. Telling a story or a lie.

 

[my sunwolf]

Very good info cowcreekgeek.
So if the chicken is not to far gone with its illness. Any of the flushes should work. And then try. One of the anti internal fungals. I need to get a full page print out of this and get it laminated. And keep in my Cockers Box or my carry around box. Which has many vitamins and tools in it. But it seems like the items that I need. Just gets to be more and more.
Who ever said raising chickens is easy. Was well. Telling a story or a lie.

I think that compared to raising sheep, chickens are easy. I added a lot of things to my bag when mine got vent gleet, so I know what you mean. We used this same guide to vent gleet on a rescue hen and did all the treatments, and she did not respond at all. That's not to say you shouldn't try, but I've decided to cull cull cull anyone who gets vent gleet. It just doesn't make sense why they got it when the others didn't. In addition to vent gleet, this particular hen had anemia, bumblefoot, respiratory, thin shelled eggs, prolapse, diarrhea, weight loss, sour crop, etc... None of the rest of my flock had ANY trouble. The vent gleet really does distract the immune system to such an extent that they contract all sorts of other things. She continued to lay an egg every single day, regardless of how ragged she was; I couldn't get her to stop.

If you're going to treat, go with the strongest stuff you can find--in this case, I would go with nystatin. Good luck, please let us know how your hens fare.