infected vent? not prolapse, bloody

[dftkarin]

I found a regular-sized egg yesterday that seemed to be covered with blood and I worried but since all my girls were out and about, I didn't check everyone out - they all looked normal. Last night I got a closer look and my 11 month old very fluffy white mixed breed chicken had a very foul smelling vent (different from a poopy vent, this smelled like rotting fish or something). I brought her inside and gently held a warm washcloth to her vent and then held a peroxide-soaked cloth to her vent. The skin around and below her vent looks very red, the vent itself has a tiny part sticking out - like the size of half a dime - which in the scheme of things doesn't seem like a real prolapse. The lip that is protrududing had a knick in it and I almost wondered if it was a worm, but I think it was a sliver of skin from the knick. This morning she's drinking and walking all around but her feathers below her vent are all brown (infection drainage?) and she's walked as though she's a little uncomfortable. Because she's got the thickest and most luxurious feathers feathers, I don't think the other chickens are aware of her bloody spot (I''m keeping a close eye and will separate her at the first occurance of picking). Should I go to the farm store and get an antibiotic to add to everyone's water? Shall I try to clean her again this morning (a stressful job, she seemed miserable with even the gentle patting yesterday) and apply human antibiotic ointment? Should I try to go see a vet? How can I make her more comfortable?

 

[dftkarin]

update:

I isolated her, fed her calcium mixed with yogurt, and from the feed store I bought some duramyecin and rooster-booster. Should I start by just squirting the rooster booster on her? She a white chicken, so the dark rooster booster won't neccesarily make her bloodiness LESS visable to the other chickens - it will just look black and tar-like instead of red and brownish. I'm nervous about using the antibiotics in the water - I'm unsure of the right dose and if I'll have to throw out everyone's eggs for the next few weeks. Any advice would be so comforting!!

 

[Tala]

Rooster Booster is a vitamin supplement that you FEED
I'm not sure why you would be putting it on her feathers. If you want something to prevent pecking try Blue Kote or Pine Tar.

I think the fishy smelling vent is a yeast infection kind of problem, but I forget the exact name of it. At your feed store you can get probiotics in powdered form (ProBios is one brand) that's what I'd be mixing with the yogurt or other moist treats.

 

[Kittymomma]

Vent gleet?

 

[dftkarin]

I'm sorry,
I got Rooster Booster anti -picking lotion, its in a squirt type bottle and has aloe vera, tar, calendula, tea tree oil, and other stuff. I squirted it on her vent and 12 hours later (this morning) there in a pink tinge to her white feathers (so I assume there is something pink in the mixture) and it looks like white chuncks of something around her vent. Yeast infection? I am giving her yogurt mixed with oyster shell and have been for 2 days - and ACV in her water. She's still laying and she's pretty active so I worry that she'll get emotionally stressed if I try to coop her up in a darked spot. Also, it doesn't look like a prolapse to me - al least if its a prolapse, its a very slight one. Her vent smells like infection though - like rotting fish. I have not soaked her in the sink to really fully clean it all (I've just held wet hydrogen peroxide soaked clothes to her vent to soften up and wipe away the worst of the gook. I want to give her antibiotics if it will help - but I am scared to use the wrong one. How can I find out which antibiotic is the right one to use???

 

[Tala]

Antibiotics make yeast infections worse, IF that is what the problem is.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1986213

Google Vent Gleet, because that is the name that I couldn't remember yesterday.

 

[Dora'smom]

It sounds like vent gleet, and antibiotics will not help that, but actually make it worse. Vent gleet often happens when the balance between bad bacteria and good bacteria is upset, allowing the bad to take over. She needs a warm bath to clean her up, and probiotics along with some organic yogurt with live cultures. Check out vent gleet on the search section of this site, I believe there is a good post on treatment. Good luck with your bird.

 

[speckledhen]

Slaps forehead...didn't think of vent gleet since I've had no experience with it! Yes, look that up and see if the symptoms match. The problem is that you dont really know what you're treating.