Hen With Prolapsed Vent Needs to Lay Egg

[Birdsong 82]

How is your girl today?

 

[Arya28]

Thank you everyone!

So today so far, she is doing great! Ever since it went back in by itself last night, it’s stayed in. She’s been pooping regularly too so I have hope that it’s going to stay in this time. She didn’t lay an egg yesterday or today, and I think it’s because we’ve had her in the dark. As long as she isn’t egg bound, I’m glad it’s giving her a chance to heal. And she’s acting fine so I don’t think she is.

Here in a little bit I’m going to take her outside and let her run around. She is SO well behaved lol. She’s inside in a tote, which doesn’t have a top on it. And she has just been hanging out in there, not trying to hop out or anything.

If we let her out for a little bit, is it ok if she eats some grass? Or will that be too hard on her right now?

 

[Arya28]

Ok so today she is doing very well. Her vent has stayed in since the other day (knock on wood) and she is eating and drinking. I took her outside for a few mins yesterday and probably will in a little bit again. I don't know if this has anything to do with the prolapse or not, but because she's inside, I noticed her nose sounds real stuffy. When she breaths, every once in a while in sounds like she's snoring. I put some VetRX on her nose and in a diffuser next to her. Does anyone have any idea why this is, or what I can do about it?

 

[Birdsong 82]

Doesn't sound like it would have to do with the prolapse. Don't know much about respiratory. Hope someone posts who does. Sounds like everything's hitting you at once

 

[Arya28]

UPDATE:

Ok, so, she has been doing fabulously well. Her vent has stayed in since the last time I posted about it. She has been treated like royalty, inside next to a heater. She's been having food, coconut oil, and scrambled eggs (which she is CRAZY about!). We had had her in a dark room so that that she could heal for a while without laying eggs (though we've been taking her out frequently in short increments so she can still be a chicken). I think the respiratory problem (her nose being stuffy) was from the heat change- from being in a barn to being inside with the heat on.

We just moved her outside to the barn yesterday. We put her in a crate, but where she can still hear the other chickens and stuff.

So today she laid her first egg (which we were still kind of trying to prevent... but I guess it needed to come out). It had a very, very soft shell. So much so that the first part of the shell came out, with the yolk and whites and stuff. And then she was still pushing like she was going to lay another egg, and she laid another piece of soft shell. I found her in there eating it, so I went in and took it out. She's not straining anymore, so I think she got the whole egg out. Her butt still looks good, and everything like that seems good.

But does anyone know why the shell would be soft like that? She's on layer feed. Is it because her "system" is just getting started up again? Is this likely to be the case again tomorrow? She is not acting like she's in any pain, seems completely normal after getting that egg out.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Glad to hear she's doing better!!! I'm not sure about the soft shell. Mine went back to regular eggs. I would guess her system is just adjusting maybe.

 

[Eggcessive]

She might need a little extra calcium by having some crushed oyster shell or eggs shells available to her to harden her shells. Some hens can develop problems with their shell gland (uterus) from a past virus such as infectious bronchitis or an injury, and lay thin or shell-less eggs. It is good to hear that she has recovered. Here is a good article about eggs and quality problems: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[Arya28]

So... today she has prolapsed again. I put it in like 5 times, gave her a bath, cleaned it with Vetricyn, and gave her tumeric and garlic in a little scrambled egg (anti inflammatory and antibiotic properties). I also put Nutri Drench in her the water. She’s in a dark clean dog crate separated. Any helpful tips??

 

[Birdsong 82]

Continue to try to put it in like you have been make sure to keep it moist and clean and keep her in dark. She needs to stop laying for a bit... their are sling instruction online people made to keep it in place