Hernia/prolaspe? Egg bound? Help!

[shawnacat]

Hi everyone,

I spent hours combing through previous posts trying to self diagnose....I think I may have gone too far.

My 2 year old hen had a poopy butt (but so did all 3 hens) so I decided to clean it and saw a red bulge coming out of her vent. So I gently tried to persuade it back inside. She's been acting fine. Then, I tried some antimicrobial wound spray (Theracyn)...was this good or bad? Then hydrocortozone ointment and tried again to coeorse it back in. Now my hen is traumatized. Did I go too far? WARNING: Terribly graphic image attached. Yuck.

While holding her, her lower abdomen felt swollen and full....she hasn't layed an egg in a few days. Related to the prolaspe thing? Should I do the epsam salt thing?

Don't want her to die AND don't want to over do it...

This is also the first time I've gotten up close and personal with my hen's butts in the 2 years since I've had them. When Athena (hen in question) walks around her vent looks fine-ish. However when I was cleaning her it bulged out. What I am wondering is if maybe this is how she is?

Thoughts?

THANK YOU in advance.

Shawna

 

[NatJ]

When Athena (hen in question) walks around her vent looks fine-ish. However when I was cleaning her it bulged out. What I am wondering is if maybe this is how she is?

I am not an expert, but if she looks normal while walking around: I would leave it alone, observe from a distance, and hope for the best (unless someone more knowledgeable comes on here and says differently.)

 

[shawnacat]

Thanks! That’s sort of my general approach with them. I never should’ve clean their butts because I would not have seen her hernia. I have an eye on her.

 

[shawnacat]

Update:
Athena is still acting normal. I noticed her prolapse is back today. Should I keep intervening and push it back in or let it be? The other 2 HenS don’t seem to be bothering it. She hasn’t laid an egg since last Saturday.

 

[NatJ]

I really don't know what's better to do

The fact that she's acting normal seems encouraging, and so is the fact that the others are not picking at it.

 

[shawnacat]

So I’ve decided to at least wash her bottom in some warm water tomorrow because it looks disgusting. I was going to set her in a warm tub.Should I add Epson salt over that aggravate her hernia? Or would that feel good I don’t know…?

 

[NatJ]

Sorry, I don't know either.

 

[shawnacat]

Well I finally got worried enough about her being egg bound that I found a rural vet because she was swollen and tight in her abdomen. They drained out 150 mls of liquid from her belly.! It was so gross. She feels so much better now though. She was on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds. Doc said it is a reproductive disease. X ray showed no egg. Weird!

 

[NatJ]

I'm glad that you were able to figure out what's going on.
Does the vet think it will keep happening?

 

[shawnacat]

The vet said it may come back and I just need to watch for the swelling again. But she clearly feels way better now!