PLEASE HELP! Prolapsed Vent!

[DurangoTango]

Help! I have a young pullet who is dear to my heart and she has a prolapsed vent! She just began laying this week. When I discovered her trouble, she had pushed out an egg that was encased in a thin membrane that was still attached to her. Along with the "egg sack" there was also what appears to be an internal organ popped out. I sat her in a shallow sink with warm water and gently probed the egg sack until the egg slipped out. She continued to push, and a second, soft-shelled egg popped out! When she finally stopped pushing, I put honey on the extended parts and tried to push them back in. They won't stay put! They just pop right back out. She's resting in a clean, warm kennel, but seems very lethargic. I'm worried that I haven't done everything I can to help her. Will this get better overnight? Should I try pushing these parts back inside her again in the morning?

 

[chkn]

Make sure if you use honey there are no ants around! Some here recommend preparation H for awhile. I guess it shrinks it down. I had one that I rinsed and just pushed in with my finger. I had to do it a second time a day or two later. I just pushed it in and worked it gently in all around.

 

[chkn]

You might want to keep her separated from the others they'll want to pick at it.

 

[Dora'smom]

She probably worked really hard to get those eggs out, and is exhausted. I would let her rest, separated from the rest of her group, put some vitamins and electrolytes, or apple cider vinegar (one tablespoon per gallon) in her water, give her some scrambled egg, and just watch her. If putting honey on the prolapse and tucking it back where it belongs doesn't keep it there, I would wait a bit, and try it again later. Maybe use some preparation H on it to help shrink those tissues. You will want to watch her. Hopefully the membrane she expelled was just egg membrane, and not part of her internal organs.

 

[DurangoTango]

Well, after resting overnight, she's looking better. Just checked on her, and she's moving around a bit and seems more alert. Will give diluted cider vinegar water, as suggested, and scrambled egg to see if she will eat. Haven't checked her vent yet - will get back to you on that (she is settled by herself in a kennel, and it's early yet to disturb her.) Thanks for the suggestions - this forum is really great news for me! I called my vet as soon as this happened, and she told me to put the bird down - so I REALLY appreciate having alternative suggestions! We have a small flock of a dozen birds, and this is the one hen that has truly befriended me, flying up onto my shoulder, sitting in my lap to be petted, following me around the hen yard like a puppy even after the food is put out and everyone else is eating...

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Just make sure that you don't put her back in with the flock, until the prolapse is completely healed. Then you will have to keep and eye on her because it could happen again. Until that time comes, keep the area clean, and put Prep H on it a couple times a day.

When my hens have had this, sometimes the prolapse will stay in when you press on it, sometimes it won't. They keep pushing it out. Eventually the swelling should go down and it will go back in on its own. I had times when it would never go back in and she pushed more out, then it was a hugh prolapse, that never healed. Then I had to put her down.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[DurangoTango]

Well, she's looking a little better, but still a small prolapse. Preparation H and warm baths, but she's not eating very well. Having a very difficult time keeping her vent area clean. Her feathers around the vent area are raggedy and dirty looking, even after bath. No new blood, though.

I did allow her back in with the flock, thinking the exercise might help. The rest of the flock has been very generous with her, nobody picking on her, and although I was going to bring her in for the night...well, I couldn't bear to pull her out of the warm "chicken group huddle" that had already roosted for the evening. I'll bathe and apply more Preparation H in the morning, but if she's not eating or drinking, it will be her last night with the rest of the girls. I hate it, though. She's such a sweetheart.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Offer her some plain yogurt and scrambled eggs. That might look a little better to her.

 

[Kasia]

My Americauna hen, Phoenix, also had a prolapse a few weeks ago when she strained really hard to push an egg out. This red bulbous thing came out and I squeezed it gently and yolk came out of it, but the tissue was attached to her, and it looked like an organ or something coming out of her. I cleaned her off with the hand shower in the tub and then used KY jelly to gently push her prolapse back in. I've also used mineral oil.

 

[DurangoTango]

I want to thank everyone for their advice and support. I had to put Penny down this morning. The prolapse area was looking bad. She just didn't recover and was weak, lethargic, not interested in eating or drinking...it was the right thing to do. I'm keeping a better eye on the rest of the flock now, and hopefully will catch any problems with the other hens early. Dang, I had no idea I could be so attached to a chicken, but this broke my heart.