Isa Brown hen has butt issues

[Mrs.Johnson]

Hello,
I have an Isa Brown hen and she is acting normal but when you see her from behind the pictures below is what you see. I washed her off and separated her from the flocks. I am not sure what to do or what I should medicate her with. She gets 16% layer feed, scratch feed, crickets, meal worms, free range every other day, and crushed oyster shells are always available. I have had her since she was 18 months old.
Thank you for your help in advance.

 

[Eggcessive]

It appears that her vent has been pecked by other chickens, and this can lead to cannibalism. She may or may not have suffered a prolapsed vent where the insides come out a bit. This can happen temporarily when laying an egg, or from straining or egg binding. I would keep her separated and daily bathe her vent in warm water with either Hibiclens or chlorhexidene, Epsom salt, or mild dish soap. Then apply some plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment twice a day. Since there could be a prolapse, that red tissue should always be kept moist with ointment. In a day or two, try taking another picture.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Ditto everything Eggcessive said.
She should be kept somewhere warm and quiet.

 

[Mrs.Johnson]

Update: the original hen from this post is getting better...but now I have another one...so apparently I have a hen that is doing this to them...what would cause this behavior? The hen I found today isn't as swollen as the first one was, but her feathers have been pecked off and she is bleeding.... she is getting the same Epsom salt bath and antibiotic ointment treatment as suggested.

 

[Eggcessive]

Feather picking and vent pecking can happen when the chickens are overcrowded (less than 4 square feet for each bird,) not getting enough protein (16-20%)in a balanced chicken feed, not getting outside to free range, too much light in the nest area, and sometimes from a bully. Here is a good article to read:
https://poultry.extension.org/artic...ibalism-in-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/

Onservation of the flock during the day, and when they get on the roosts in the evening, is a good time to see specific behavior. There are anti-pick ointments, and some cannbe helpful. Even plain vaseline or pine tar can be used to discourage pecking. Pinless peepers can be used on a specific bully to keep her from seeing her target, and may be helpful. Here is an article about pinless peepers, which are applied to the beak with special pliers, and where to buy them, although amazon sells them as well:
https://www.eggcartons.com/Pinless-Peepers-p/article-1.htm

 

[AprilsZoo]

Update: the original hen from this post is getting better...but now I have another one...so apparently I have a hen that is doing this to them...what would cause this behavior? The hen I found today isn't as swollen as the first one was, but her feathers have been pecked off and she is bleeding.... she is getting the same Epsom salt bath and antibiotic ointment treatment as suggested.

Chickens will peck at anything they see that is strange on another chicken— that’s pretty normal behavior. It can become an obsession with a bird sometimes, so you always want to discourage it.

I think you need to give the girls with the red butts some extra calcium. You can use human calcium pills— Caltrate (calcium citrate) with vitamin D3 is the easiest for them to absorb... but you can use Tums (calcium carbonate) instead (yes, the antacid tablets... bonus, no hens with heartburn. )

• Caltrate = 1 tablet given whole or split/crushed/dissolved

(For soft eggs, or egg-binding—1/2 tab should be given daily for minimum of 3 days, or until a normal egg is laid + 3 days)​

• Tums = 2 tablets given whole/split/crushed/etc.

(as above —> follow with 1 tab daily (for same times as above)​

​

So the reason I believe they need calcium is that I think they are having slight prolapse after laying an egg. Calcium isn’t just for making hard shells... it‘s also crucial for helping the muscles throughout the oviduct & vent work properly. A prolapse means the hen is needing to strain when laying. A dose (or a few doses) of calcium won’t hurt them, but it could help their muscles work efficiently again.

For the current protrusions, Preparation H hemorrhoid ointment generously applied to all the puffy, red vent area will take away the swelling & inflammation, and it’ll go back inside.
If you have blue-kote you can spray their bottoms when you put them back outside, so that whoever your bully is won’t be attracted to the redness.

If any other hen-pecked girls show up, you may need to crush a few calcium tabs and mix it into their food. Or you can dissolve a few tabs in a little water and then use that to wet a small amount of their feed. Divide it into a few dishes so that they all get some.

So long as your bully hasn’t become obsessed, you should be able to get it under control with what I suggested above.

Good luck, & keep us posted.

 

[Saveria]

I have heard that ISA Browns are really prone to prolapses, that is the cost for their great egg production : (

You can watch them for a bit and see if one chicken is the one doing the pecking, then you could get some pinless peepers on that one. In my flock it was one welsummer hen that would pick till it was red, then the others would join in. Sometimes you can stop that cascade.