Is This Prolapsed Vent?

[skullgrrrl]

This afternoon I gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she was straining trying to lay the egg - to no avail. I lubed her vent and put her back in the crate. I went out later to check her hoping to find a laid egg but prepared to get it out myself. I had my 'operating table' set up in the kitchen just in case.

The procedure went really well and really fast with no complications.

The egg was @1/8-1/4 outside her vent but not moving. I put my fingers on both sides of the egg on the outside of her body to stop it from being drawn back inside. I hit the egg with a sharp skewer and it broke. Then I syringed out a bit of albumen. I broke a bit of shell and hauled out the yolk. Next I used tweezers to pull out big pieces of shell. The egg pretty much collapsed on itself so that was easy and I'm confident that I got it all.

The worst part is a ton of really stinky poop followed (even though she pooped a lot in her bath this afternoon).

Her vent is still distended and hanging open a bit so I've put on Prep H and Vetericyn and put her back in a crate for observation. I'm hoping she'll make a full recovery.

Sorry no photos, my hands were full (& by the end I was gagging).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You did great! It's good that you were able to get the egg out, it sounds like she was backing up, if you hadn't made that move, she would have been in big trouble.

The vent may be distended for a little bit. Give her extra calcium to help with her out.
Prep H can be used or an anti-inflammatory cream (hydrocortisone) to reduce swelling. The Vetericyn is very good.

If you feel that by any chance she may have had any egg matter (yolk/whites) or feces enter the oviduct-I know you had to do a lot of manipulating, then consider antibiotics to help fight any infection. Amoxiciilin would be best, you can order online (Fish Mox).

 

[Coop de Grass]

This afternoon I gave her a warm epsom salt bath and she was straining trying to lay the egg - to no avail. I lubed her vent and put her back in the crate. I went out later to check her hoping to find a laid egg but prepared to get it out myself. I had my 'operating table' set up in the kitchen just in case.

The procedure went really well and really fast with no complications.

The egg was @1/8-1/4 outside her vent but not moving. I put my fingers on both sides of the egg on the outside of her body to stop it from being drawn back inside. I hit the egg with a sharp skewer and it broke. Then I syringed out a bit of albumen. I broke a bit of shell and hauled out the yolk. Next I used tweezers to pull out big pieces of shell. The egg pretty much collapsed on itself so that was easy and I'm confident that I got it all.

The worst part is a ton of really stinky poop followed (even though she pooped a lot in her bath this afternoon).

Her vent is still distended and hanging open a bit so I've put on Prep H and Vetericyn and put her back in a crate for observation. I'm hoping she'll make a full recovery.

Sorry no photos, my hands were full (& by the end I was gagging).

Nice job! Hopefully she will be back to normal and all will be well. please keep us posted. I've dealt with a prolapse and the egg behind the prolapse, but never had to deal with a partially laid egg. It's good to have a reference, just in case. Thank you!

 

[skullgrrrl]

Update: Its been 16 days since I had to break the egg to get it out. Mango is looking good: eating, drinking, laying (although there's blood on the eggs, a little less each day). The only issue is her vent is still distended and doesn't close fully - it appears the egg has stretched her vent so its 'flabby'. I've bathed her to keep it clean (poop just drips out) and clipped her feathers around her vent. Any suggestions for how to get the muscle tone back in her vent?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad to hear she is eating and drinking!

As for the stretched vent, I just don't know. The only thing I can think of is to try to stop her from laying eggs to see if that helps improve the muscle tone. She would need to be kept in a darkened room. I think a hen needs around 12-14hrs of daylight to stimulate laying so by limiting the amount of light she receives would make her stop laying over the course of a few days. As to how long she needs to be kept this way

Calcium will help with oviduct contractions, but it sounds like the cloaca is damaged, it's hard to explain, but the cloaca acts as a "valve" or flap when a hen lays an egg, it closes off the exit from the intestines (blocks poop) while the egg is being laid, then once the egg is expelled the flap opens (I hope I'm explaining it right, it's been a while since I researched that).

There's always a chance that she may never regain muscle tone and always have a leaky vent.

I do appreciate the update. I hope someone else can give you better suggestions that I can.

 

[skullgrrrl]

I kept her in a darkened crate for the first few days and she laid eggs and was bored witless and wanted out. She looks just like her old self except for the stretched vent. I can keep the poop from accumulating but I'm wondered if her vent will affect her ability to lay fertilized eggs. She's one of my two frizzles and I'd love to hatch some of her chicks. I can increase her calcium as well.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I kept her in a darkened crate for the first few days and she laid eggs and was bored witless and wanted out. She looks just like her old self except for the stretched vent. I can keep the poop from accumulating but I'm wondered if her vent will affect her ability to lay fertilized eggs. She's one of my two frizzles and I'd love to hatch some of her chicks. I can increase her calcium as well.

Give her calcium and see if that helps.

I personally would not hatch eggs from her. You don't want to pass on poor genes. She likely always had some internal structure deficiency that has displayed with prolapsed vent and stretched cloaca...and that possibly could be genetic related....though if she somehow had a poor vent closing from hatching conditions, that too could have played into things.

Glad she is doing better.

My thoughts.

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately the likelihood is that this will make her predisposed to infections like Salpingitis which could potentially become fatal. I would continue to apply Prep H on a regular basis and see if that helps. Alternatively the vet may be able to do a purse string stitch. Without seeing it, it is difficult to advise.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Unfortunately the likelihood is that this will make her predisposed to infections like Salpingitis which could potentially become fatal. I would continue to apply Prep H on a regular basis and see if that helps. Alternatively the vet may be able to do a purse string stitch. Without seeing it, it is difficult to advise.

Wow! The chicken equivalent to a Sirodkar procedure! How would that affect her egg laying? Has anyone done this?

 

[rebrascora]

I have read of it being performed by vets on chickens in order to keep a prolapse in that repeatedly gets pushed back out. I'm honestly not sure how you manage it as regards egg laying. Perhaps keep the bird in the dark until she stops laying and is healed or use a hormone implant to prevent egg laying or loosen the strings when the bird trying to lay and then tighten them back up again afterwards.