Prolapse Vent

[Littlebitshadow]

Hi everyone,

My 21 week old Rainbow Dixie chicken started laying about 3-4 weeks ago. Around 2 weeks ago she had a prolapsed vent I was able to easily stick, then every few days it seemed to happen.

Now, it’s not staying in and it’s like she’s fighting to push it back out whenever I attempt to push it in.

She is separated from the flock.
She’s eating normal, drinking normal, and pooping normal.

Today, I did an epsom salt bath soak on her, cleaned her with vetericyn spray, and applied some preparation H. I also tried Manuka honey. It seems her feathers are all sticky from the prep h and honey.

After her bath, I blow dried her feathers, and applied a little bit of sugar to her vent and was able to gently push it back in and hold it, it seemed to stay for a bit. I went back about 10 minutes later and it was out again.

The closest vet only makes house calls, and it’s a minimum of about $250, that doesn’t include any medicine, surgery. Etc.

What do I do?! What would you do? I have 7 other chickens

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give her a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D orally into her beak. Tums works as a substitute. Repeat daily for up to 7 days. That can increase muscle contraction. Does she seem to have another egg coming? Keep the prolapse from drying out with the honey or applying vaseline or oil to the area. You can place her in the dark for 16 hours a day to stop her from laying temporarily. That would allow her 8 hours in the daytime to walk around and eat/drink. Vets can use a purse string suture to hold a prolapse in for a few days. I would check to see if yours really could do that before considering it.

 

[Littlebitshadow]

I would give her a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D orally into her beak. Tums works as a substitute. Repeat daily for up to 7 days. That can increase muscle contraction. Does she seem to have another egg coming? Keep the prolapse from drying out with the honey or applying vaseline or oil to the area. You can place her in the dark for 16 hours a day to stop her from laying temporarily. That would allow her 8 hours in the daytime to walk around and eat/drink. Vets can use a purse string suture to hold a prolapse in for a few days. I would check to see if yours really could do that before considering it.

Thanks for your response! I did give her a crushed up citrate tablet with vitamin d. I tried feeling to see if she has an egg but it’s hard to tell and I have been keeping her in the dark. I tried asking about the purse string stitch, but they wouldn’t confirm anything without asking to see the chicken first, so that’s $200+ right out the gate if I were to go that route. I just feel bad her rear end feathers are so sticky from the cream

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m going through this now. My 4.5 year old hen prolapsed on 8/29, and I was able to get her to an avian vet on 9/2 as I was unable to get the prolapse to go back in on my own. I did give her Calcium tablets for the 3 days before she went to the vet, epsom bath soaks twice a day, and tried creams Prep H and Manuka Honey (what a mess!) as well. She laid eggs twice while prolapsed, which of course didn’t help.

The vet was $75 just to see her (and a 45 minute drive), he required X-rays before he could put the stitch in (to be sure she wasn’t about to lay), as well as an anti-inflammatory, Antibiotics and I requested a shot so she’d quit laying. The total was $600 (my hubby would have a stroke if he knew). The stitch had to come out in 24 hours, and she continued to prolapse after that. BUT, it wasn’t as bad and I was able to reinsert the prolapse, and eventually it stayed in (after 10 days).

This hen has prolapsed before but I was able to fix it myself in about 4 days. I would say if you can get the prolapse go in by yourself, skip the vet at least for now. The prolapse should eventually stay in by itself.

 

[Littlebitshadow]

I’m going through this now. My 4.5 year old hen prolapsed on 8/29, and I was able to get her to an avian vet on 9/2 as I was unable to get the prolapse to go back in on my own. I did give her Calcium tablets for the 3 days before she went to the vet, epsom bath soaks twice a day, and tried creams Prep H and Manuka Honey (what a mess!) as well. She laid eggs twice while prolapsed, which of course didn’t help.

The vet was $75 just to see her (and a 45 minute drive), he required X-rays before he could put the stitch in (to be sure she wasn’t about to lay), as well as an anti-inflammatory, Antibiotics and I requested a shot so she’d quit laying. The total was $600 (my hubby would have a stroke if he knew). The stitch had to come out in 24 hours, and she continued to prolapse after that. BUT, it wasn’t as bad and I was able to reinsert the prolapse, and eventually it stayed in (after 10 days).

This hen has prolapsed before but I was able to fix it myself in about 4 days. I would say if you can get the prolapse go in by yourself, skip the vet at least for now. The prolapse should eventually stay in by itself.

Yes! I read your post actually. I’m pretty sure that’s how much it would end up costing too, and my husband would lose his mind as well.

What would you do if it wouldn’t go back in?? I am trying to be realistic, but also don’t want to keep torturing my girl or hurting her if I am. Shes such a good chicken too.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Yes! I read your post actually. I’m pretty sure that’s how much it would end up costing too, and my husband would lose his mind as well.

What would you do if it wouldn’t go back in?? I am trying to be realistic, but also don’t want to keep torturing my girl or hurting her if I am. Shes such a good chicken too.

Well I did finally take my girl to the vet because I couldn’t get it to go in at all this time like I could the first time she prolapsed (at about a year old). If you’re still able to get it to go in, but it doesn’t stay in, I would keep trying that and everything else you’re doing. Also I think the cortisone cream help shrink the prolapsed tissue some, you can try that. Keeping her completely in the dark for a few days can force her to quit laying, but that seemed cruel to me.
@Eggcessive what’s your opinion on using Preparation H ointment (Vaseline based)? Does that help with prolapse?

 

[Eggcessive]

Many have used Prep H in the past to treat prolapses. Hydrocortisone cream is popular. Keeping the tissue moist and from drying out is the key. Dry tissue will die.

 

[tlcmurphy]

BTW my husband asked what he was smelling when I tried the Manuka Honey. I told him honey chicken, and was quite upset we weren’t having Thai for dinner

 

[Littlebitshadow]

Well I did finally take my girl to the vet because I couldn’t get it to go in at all this time like I could the first time she prolapsed (at about a year old). If you’re still able to get it to go in, but it doesn’t stay in, I would keep trying that and everything else you’re doing. Also I think the cortisone cream help shrink the prolapsed tissue some, you can try that. Keeping her completely in the dark for a few days can force her to quit laying, but that seemed cruel to me.
@Eggcessive what’s your opinion on using Preparation H ointment (Vaseline based)? Does that help with prolapse?

I have the cortisone cream and an ointment one too. I just feel so bad that her bottom is sticky and not fluffy. I’m going to do a bath tomorrow again. I can’t work from home, but have a camera on her for tomorrow to see how she’s doing. It’s just crazy because I live in an area with a lot of livestock, and no vets in the area see chickens!!

 

[tlcmurphy]

I have the cortisone cream and an ointment one too. I just feel so bad that her bottom is sticky and not fluffy. I’m going to do a bath tomorrow again. I can’t work from home, but have a camera on her for tomorrow to see how she’s doing. It’s just crazy because I live in an area with a lot of livestock, and no vets in the area see chickens!!

I actually went to a parrot vet. He keeps chickens and seemed OK to me. Until I got the estimate