Possible internal infection

chickfan

Songster
10 Years
Oct 12, 2009
273
7
119
Leander, TX
We just added two new chickens to our small group. Picked them up in the dark Sat. night, so didn't notice a problem until tne next day. The hen (maybe a RIR) had a coating of white on her feathers below her vent. It partially went away, but decided yesterday to take a closer look. By this time there was a prolapse. She has been laying regularly (until now) so I don't think she is eggbound. I can't feel an egg, but never have felt one before, so I'm not sure of myself. We washed her bottom with warm soapy water. I cleaned off the poo stuck on the prolapse...sprayed it with Benzocaine, and pushed it back in...also using neosporin and a hemorrhoid ointment. Put her in the house last night. Dried her with the hair dryer (she liked that!). Fed her only lettuce, banana, and tomato last night. She ate and drank with no problem. She seems happy enough...will answer her husband, a big RIR, as he crows for her outside. Gave her oatmeal this morning, which she loved. I do not see any more prolapse, but I haven't picked her up to look closely. My main question now is that she is dripping liquid from her vent. Some is white sticking to her feathers, but I believe some is pus also. I also see some "normal" poop along with the liquid. I would like to get some antibiotics for her (maybe from the feed store if it opens tomorrow) but have no idea what to get. My vet does not deal with chickens much, and is closed now anyway. He might give me something for her (he has known us for years) just to try, but I don't know if he will be open tomorrow or not.
So....does anyone have any ideas? I sure hate to lose this beautiful chicken, and I'll try most anything anyone can suggest to me. Thank you.
 
WARNING! Do NOT use benzocaine again! That can be fatal to birds. It's used to euthanize small laboratory animals.

Hope she makes it. First of all, do not get Terramycin. It's useless. You need penicillin-G, an injectible and either 20 or 22 guage needle syringes. Though the usual dose for wounds would be 1/2 cc in the breast muscle, in cases like this, I give 3/4-1 cc, for 3-4 days. She may have an infection; these type of infections are very common in hens, especially high production types like the RIR. (be sure to let the penicillin get up to room temp before using and push it in slowly).
 
Thanks for telling me about Benzocaine. I thought I had Lidocaine here, but couldn't find it and supposed the Benzo would be OK. I'm an RN...should have known better.
Thanks for the antibiotic knowledge. I was a people nurse...not a vet nurse, so this is new to me. So I give this Pen. G into the breast? The part we eat, I guess?
She seems absolutely fine so far...roosting quietly. After penicillin, should I throw away her eggs, if she lays again? I had read that some medications affect the eggs and should not be eaten for a certain amount of time.
I'll head for the feed store in the morning. I do hope she survives, just because she is so pretty and her rooster man misses her. And I was attached to her as soon as I saw her, of course.
Thanks again!
 
Yes, you give it in the breast muscle, avoiding the keel bone, which you'll be able to feel in the center. After penicillin, I usually toss the eggs for a couple weeks. There is no set withdrawal period, but that's what most of us do. Good luck! Hope she makes it.
 

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