Possible Vent Gleet or Other Issue-Chicken Can't Walk!

[marissa98]

On Sunday evening, we found one of our hens under the nesting boxes. She was sitting with her legs out in front of her. We pulled her out and gave her water to drink and she gulped it down. We assumed she was just majorly dehydrated which was preventing her from being able to use her legs. After she drank a lot of water we put her back up in the hen house for the night. Monday morning (yesterday) when I went to check on her, she had moved outside of the hen house some but must have flopped over there because she still couldn't use her legs. I set her up in a cage under the barn with more water. In the evening, I gave her a good once over and noticed what I believe is her problem:

1. she has a cheesy yellow substance around and barely in her vent. There isn't a lot of it.
2. she has a large lump (size of a golf ball or so) directly under her vent. It seems to cause her some discomfort when I try to feel it. I can tell it's not majorly hard and I don't think it's an egg

My best guess from research is vent gleet, but it doesn't quite seem to present the same as what I've read from others. So far, we've started treating her with some vaginal cream on her vent and acidified copper sulfate water. Does anyone have any better idea of what this may be?

 

[marissa98]

@TwoCrows @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock do any of you have any idea or know anyone who may?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Photos?

Is this hen one from either of these previous threads?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-white-spots-on-mouth-advice-please.1484561/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/strange-egg-like-material-laid-by-sick-looking-hen.1444364/

Could be Gleet, but consider infection or a condition like Salpingitis as well.
When's the last time she laid an egg?

 

[marissa98]

Photos?

Is this hen one from either of these previous threads?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-white-spots-on-mouth-advice-please.1484561/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/strange-egg-like-material-laid-by-sick-looking-hen.1444364/

Could be Gleet, but consider infection or a condition like Salpingitis as well.
When's the last time she laid an egg?

I'll get photos after work today. She is the hen from the strange egg looking material. I think it's been probably close to a year since she's laid an egg. I'm not sure how old she is though, as she was full grown when we got her.

 

[marissa98]

Photos?

Is this hen one from either of these previous threads?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-white-spots-on-mouth-advice-please.1484561/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/strange-egg-like-material-laid-by-sick-looking-hen.1444364/

Could be Gleet, but consider infection or a condition like Salpingitis as well.
When's the last time she laid an egg?

Here are some photos: you can see some of the yellow substance on her vent. I cleaned that off after the photo the best I could. That's what you see on the ground. It just looks like little cheesy bits of egg. Then there's the photo of the lump under her vent. I'm at a loss as to what to do and how to try to treat her. She has no interest in eating but tends to be thirsty (of course it is hot here in Texas!) Any advice as quickly as possible would be appreciated greatly!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you ever treat her with antibiotics?

Looking at the older thread coupled with today's, I would take a guess that she's suffering from Salpingitis or similar reproductive disorder. The lump under the vent may be an internal accumulation of lash material or some other mass - there's no way to really know unless you lose her and have a necropsy.

I honestly don't know if treating her with antibiotics will help since she's to the point she's not walking. You can give it a go and see if it helps short term. Sadly, hens with reproductive disorders often keep declining despite our best efforts.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/strange-egg-like-material-laid-by-sick-looking-hen.1444364/

 

[marissa98]

Did you ever treat her with antibiotics?

Looking at the older thread coupled with today's, I would take a guess that she's suffering from Salpingitis or similar reproductive disorder. The lump under the vent may be an internal accumulation of lash material or some other mass - there's no way to really know unless you lose her and have a necropsy.

I honestly don't know if treating her with antibiotics will help since she's to the point she's not walking. You can give it a go and see if it helps short term. Sadly, hens with reproductive disorders often keep declining despite our best efforts.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/strange-egg-like-material-laid-by-sick-looking-hen.1444364/

I hadn't at the time because she never passed any more material that we ever saw. She had been acting quieter recently. I've started her on some antibiotics now but I'm afraid it will be like you said- not really help now that she can't walk anymore. I feel so bad for her but we're trying what we can.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I hadn't at the time because she never passed any more material that we ever saw. She had been acting quieter recently. I've started her on some antibiotics now but I'm afraid it will be like you said- not really help now that she can't walk anymore. I feel so bad for her but we're trying what we can.

Keep me posted on how she's doing.

She may benefit from being placed in a sling to help her stay more upright. At least for short periods of time. A towel rolled up to prop her on may also help.

 

[marissa98]

Keep me posted on how she's doing.

She may benefit from being placed in a sling to help her stay more upright. At least for short periods of time. A towel rolled up to prop her on may also help.

I've got her propped up. She's had two days of antibiotics now and seems no worse. She seems perky and happy to see us, but still doesn't want to eat. I've been feeding her some Greek yogurt by syringe. Any other suggestions of easily syringe fed foods that have some good proteins and nutrients for her? This morning, I saw that she had passed something- I say something because it looked like a mixture of poop and then some tougher, yellowish material. I'm not sure if that's a good sign or not. She's still fighting so we are too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can try tube feeding her. Some folks give a slurry of soaked feed or you can use Kaytee Exact Baby Bird Formula.

Sounds like she's passing something...of course, we don't mind photos if you wish to take those.

I don't think it's a bad sign that she's able to pass that material, better than it staying in there.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/crop-feeding.75454/