PLEASE HELP! Vent problems

[chickengirl778]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
2 year old Barred Rock, always been rather light but that's normal.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Listlessness, puffed feathers, etc. Acting sleepy and unresponsive in general.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Just today.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No,
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
The vent is "drooping" but is not prolapsed.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Drinking unclean water?
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Drank some water with electrolytes
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Quite runny. There was something coming out of her vent that we managed to get out - sort of a solid white, stringy thing. Like the membrane of a shell-less egg.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Offered electrolyte water,
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Treat at home if possible.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Straw, and occasionally wood shavings (not cedar).

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

It could be a vent prolapsing or eggbind..

 

[chickengirl778]

What should I do? She is acting a little better, ate some yogurt.

 

[staceyj]

I think the clue here is the stringy membrane that she may have passed.
- do you still have it? Could you post a picture of it?

It could be indicative of an internal laying problem.
Sometimes this is a one off event, but at her age (2) and the way she seems to feel so unwell it could be a reproductive disease.

What do you feed your birds and do you provide an additional source of calcium (oyster shell)?

Have you done a gentle internal exam to check for the rest of the egg-possibly broken shell- inside her?

Do you know the last time she laid a normal egg?

Has she ever laid a lash egg?


I would definitely give her a good dose of calcium in the form of a human supplement such as caltrate or tums etc.
then give her a nice soak in the sink with warm water and Epsom salts. It sometimes helps them pass what’s in there.

Blow dry after to prevent chilling.

Then I’d set her up inside for observation and princess treatment for a day or two until you get this figured out.

Let’s yell for help from the big guns, shall we?

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@casportpony
@KikisGirls

 

[staceyj]

Hey could you delete your other thread ?

Just to eliminate confusion.
This problem most likely isn’t “vent gleet”.
That is super nasty with gobs of smelly discharge.

 

[chickengirl778]

I do not still have the membrane, sorry. I feed Scratch n' Peck layer feed, and offer calcium, although I did just run out, so they might have not had any for a couple days (calcium supplement, that is).
I did a gentle internal exam and did not feel an egg or anything else inside her. She laid a normal, albeit large, egg, a couple days ago.
She has laid shelless eggs before, not sure about lash egg.

 

[chickengirl778]

I'm not sure if my internal exam was thorough. I just stuck my finger a couple inches or so into her vent, didn't feel anything strange.

 

[staceyj]

That’s okay. You don’t have to go in too deep.
Check her belly from the outside too to see if there’s any obvious bulge, but I don’t really think you’ll feel one.

I’d go through the process I outlined above, keep her in a crate or box inside, and give calcium for several consecutive days and see how that goes. And monitor for sure if she lays tomorrow.
Please update this thread if there are any changes in her condition.

 

[chickengirl778]

Okay! I should have the calcium soon, and I have separated her from the flock. Should I try the bath too? I feel like it might stress her out.

 

[staceyj]

Usually they find the bath kind of calming once they’re in there.
The water only need to be up to their tummy.

I’d try it. 20 minutes. Keep the water nice and warm. Don’t forget the Epsom salt. It is magnesium and it helps.

Pull up a chair and sit right there with your hand on her while she gets used to it.
And have a stack of towels ready for when you get her out so you don’t have to leave her unattended or traipse all over your house with a dripping chicken!