Prolapse: Can it resolve on its own?

[LooneyGoonie]

I've read a lot about experiences with prolapse on the forum, but still have a few questions.

My 10 month old hen, I believe she's a Black Australorp, had an injury to her vent. I'm not sure if she was pecked by another or if it was a tear from laying a larger than normal egg. The top part of her vent was perforated, like a small notch was cut into it about 1/8". It scabbed over and healed, but I noticed that she started to prolapse in the area where the injury occured. At times, the prolapse is about 1/2" sticking out of her vent, but she does occasionally pull it back in. I put her in a cage by herself in my garage. She pooped several times last night in her cage, as well as during the day today. The droppings look normal. She's eating and drinking well. I was concerned when I saw that she layed another egg in her cage, but her prolapse didn't look any worse that it did before the egg. I've been putting Preparation H on the prolapse after using a saline solution to rinse the area.

I'm thinking the injury to her vent could have caused her to lose muscle tone that helps keep everything where it belongs. Just a thought.

My big question for those with experience in this area is: If the prolapse didn't get any worse after laying an egg, and she sometimes pulls it back in on her own, is it likely that she'll resolve this problem? Is there anything else I should be doing to help her out?

Thanks for any advice you might have.

 

[CMV]

You are doing/have done all you can do. Once a bird prolapses there is an increased risk of it happening again. If she has a loss of muscle tone in one area then there is a pretty good chance it will happen in the future, but then again it may not. You can't try to predict how these things will work out. You obviously know how to deal with this, so you are just going to need to sit back, wait, and see.

Keep doing what you are doing for about as long as you feel is necessary (and she is fully healed), and then re-introduce her to her flock. That will be the true test...can she make it in her flock? If so..GREAT! If not...well, that is something to worry about at a later time.

Good luck.

 

[LooneyGoonie]

Thanks for the advice. I just cleaned her up this morning and she looks like she improved a little overnight. I'm continuing to do what I have been and she still acts like her normal self.

 

[CMV]

Good things. I think with some time she will get better. And in enough time, she will hopefully never have this happen again.

I hope she continues to improve.

 

[HenalayLady]

Wow, me too! I also have a black australorp of 10 mos and just now found a prolapsed vent. I will try the Prep H thing as you did. She seems fine otherwise. How is your girl doing now? My other 8 hens seem to be fine, different breeds. Mattie

 

[LooneyGoonie]

Mattie- She (Sarah) seems to be getting better each time I check her out. She seems to have irritated skin on the bottom part of her vent that got covered with poo. It looks like the scab, or whatever it is, is starting to come off a little at a time. It looks like once that comes off, she'll be back to normal...I hope! At first her vent was bright red, and it's now back to the normal pink color that the other hens have. I figure if an egg popping out doesn't make it worse, she must be healing!

How is your girl doing? I'm hoping for the best for you too!

 

[LooneyGoonie]

The TLC I've been giving Sarah has fixed her up! Her prolapse went back in today and all of the scabbing has fallen off. She'll be ready to go back to the coop with her friends tomorrow. I know we're both ready!

 

[CMV]

Nice work.