Not a baby anymore

[Liberty For All]

Not sure where to post this so I will post it here. I have 15 month old female Austrolorp and today I noticed a sack hanging out of the rear that is about 2.5 inches long. She is up and moving around. I not sure if this is where the egg is delivered or the waste. I am assuming this happened while laying the egg. Is there anything I should be doing. I am keeping her away from the other chickens because they keep pecking at the sack. Thanks for any help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not sure where to post this so I will post it here. I have 15 month old female Austrolorp and today I noticed a sack hanging out of the rear that is about 2.5 inches long. She is up and moving around. I not sure if this is where the egg is delivered or the waste. I am assuming this happened while laying the egg. Is there anything I should be doing. I am keeping her away from the other chickens because they keep pecking at the sack. Thanks for any help.

A picture may help.

What color is the sack?

Does it look like a deflated egg shell with egg white/yolk or is it red like intestinal/oviduct lining?

Both the poop and the egg come out of the same opening, it is called a "vent".

If it's an egg shell hanging out, then try to gently remove it, you may want to soak her in a warm epsom salt bath to help soften it.

If it's a prolapse, clean it up, soak her in a warm epsom salt bath, then apply honey or hemorrhoid cream to see if it will reduce inflammation and go back in. Keep her isolated for at least the night, offer some calcium (tums or oyster shell), some poultry vitamin water if you have it.



Here's a photos of an egg hanging out:
http://hencam.com/henblog/2015/08/a-laying-glitch/

Here's a prolapse vent:
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/04/prolapsed-vent-cloaca-and-laying.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html

 

[Liberty For All]

Thank you. You just taught me something. It is the intestine. I just went out to check on her and she had died. Appears she hemorrhaged. My chicken's always have a bread pan of oyster shell next to their food as well as a full pan of grit. But no poultry vitamin water. Is this water something that I should be giving them on a regular basis? What causes this to happen? Thank you again. Ps. They are open ranged during the day.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Vent prolapse happens occasionally. It sometimes is caused by a hen being too fat. Otherwise I don't think you can prevent it, it isn't related to calcium intake, sometimes laying too big of an egg can cause a prolapse.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you. You just taught me something. It is the intestine. I just went out to check on her and she had died. Appears she hemorrhaged. My chicken's always have a bread pan of oyster shell next to their food as well as a full pan of grit. But no poultry vitamin water. Is this water something that I should be giving them on a regular basis? What causes this to happen? Thank you again. Ps. They are open ranged during the day.


Quote: I'm sorry for your loss.

I personally don't provide vitamin water on a regular basis. I do keep some Poultry Nutri-Drench on hand for emergencies. It can be used to help give a boost of vitamins if you have a chicken that is feeling off, during hot weather if you have one in distress (but you want to take steps to cool chickens first) or an injury, etc.

I am in more of the "basic" camp. Provide fresh clean water a couple of times a day, feed nutritionally balanced poultry feed, provide grit and oyster shell free choice, treats are fresh veggies/fruits, weeds from the garden, bugs and a small amount of sunflower seed or corn/scratch. So extra vitamins/minerals or medications are just given on an " as needed" basis.

I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs prolapse just happens occasionally and usually due to laying too big an egg, etc.

 

[Liberty For All]

Thanks to both of you for your support. I have only been doing this for just a little over a year and I am still learning. God bless