I am VERY new to chickens and I have a darling birdie bird, named Olivia. I noticed she was the only one of my chickens that seemed to have a dirty tushie. I thought well we have had a bit of rain, she must have sat in mud. A week later I noticed she seemed a bit slower than her other cohorts and I tried to catch her to inspect her…well she did not allow it. But next day, she was moving so slow all I had to do was pick her up.
Her vent looked awful…**warning graphic photo*
This is what i started with over a month ago...
I was devastated that this had happened as I always make sure my free ranging birdies get the best organic food and vitamins. Then imagine reading up and finding out epsom salt bath is first step…and you discover during that bath, she HAS FLY STRIKE. So I worked diligently to get rid of maggots that loved the poop that was stuck to her like cement. I used hemorrhoid cream to help with swelling and applied triple antibiotic cream. I also threw in the kitchen sink and put her on 5 day course of antibiotic...
Only to have her a few days later screaming…a sound I will never forget.
That's when I realized she was egg bound. So yes, this novice worked hard soaking her in a warm bath and slathering my finger with KY and I actually pulled the egg out. Unfortunately (again I felt devastated) her vent hole so swollen and small that a small tear at the top happened getting the egg out *fascinating was that the bottom part of egg was BLACK*.
Now over a month later, she has been separated from her flock (although I did put in some baby chics to keep her company) and I inspect, spray Vetamycin, and try to keep her tushie clean every day. However, no egg has been laid in over a month. I checked today during yet another epsom salt bath and she doesn't have one (guess that is a good thing).
But what do I do? I can't put her back with the others because I am afraid a rooster will tear open her vent (rooster caused original injury I suspect). Also it's the poop droppings driving me mad because they stick to her, so every day I am having to clean up bottom only to have her poop in the next moment and it sticks!!
This is what she looks like now..
Is the swollen part at the top normal? Am I expecting too much as far as healing and it will just take more time? Do I need to push the top part back in? I tried once and it popped back out.
Sorry post so long, just thought if the experts had the full picture it might help.
At a loss on how to fix my darling Olivia. Any help is so very appreciated!!!
Her vent looked awful…**warning graphic photo*
This is what i started with over a month ago...
I was devastated that this had happened as I always make sure my free ranging birdies get the best organic food and vitamins. Then imagine reading up and finding out epsom salt bath is first step…and you discover during that bath, she HAS FLY STRIKE. So I worked diligently to get rid of maggots that loved the poop that was stuck to her like cement. I used hemorrhoid cream to help with swelling and applied triple antibiotic cream. I also threw in the kitchen sink and put her on 5 day course of antibiotic...
Only to have her a few days later screaming…a sound I will never forget.
That's when I realized she was egg bound. So yes, this novice worked hard soaking her in a warm bath and slathering my finger with KY and I actually pulled the egg out. Unfortunately (again I felt devastated) her vent hole so swollen and small that a small tear at the top happened getting the egg out *fascinating was that the bottom part of egg was BLACK*.
Now over a month later, she has been separated from her flock (although I did put in some baby chics to keep her company) and I inspect, spray Vetamycin, and try to keep her tushie clean every day. However, no egg has been laid in over a month. I checked today during yet another epsom salt bath and she doesn't have one (guess that is a good thing).
But what do I do? I can't put her back with the others because I am afraid a rooster will tear open her vent (rooster caused original injury I suspect). Also it's the poop droppings driving me mad because they stick to her, so every day I am having to clean up bottom only to have her poop in the next moment and it sticks!!
This is what she looks like now..
Is the swollen part at the top normal? Am I expecting too much as far as healing and it will just take more time? Do I need to push the top part back in? I tried once and it popped back out.
Sorry post so long, just thought if the experts had the full picture it might help.
At a loss on how to fix my darling Olivia. Any help is so very appreciated!!!
