Prolapse...when will it get better?

[mrspeete]

? she will definitely die if she stops pooping! Do you mean she's still straining as if there was a blockage?

A little straining but we have been cleaning out the prolapse of any poop each time so I think it’s just a reflex of pushing it back in

 

[Perris]

I expect you are right. Has she molted already? If you and she are lucky, a couple of months break from egg laying would help hugely.

 

[mrspeete]

I expect you are right. Has she molted already? If you and she are lucky, a couple of months break from egg laying would help hugely.

Yes unfortunately she just finished a molt and had just started laying again.

 

[mrspeete]

So we tried putting a sling on her using horse wrap leaving a slit for her vent hoping to give her space to poop but still support the tissue...she pushed right through it and out it came again. There is a whitish cream colored crust covering it and pretty angry dark red tissue under the white. I’m not sure if the white stuff should come off or if that is stuff dying. I’m going to try the vet tomorrow. I’m not sure they even treat chickens but I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can soak her in soapy water or Epsom salts water for 20 minutes, and take a wash cloth when to it when it softens, and try to rub a bit. If it bleeds a little that is a good sign that there is healthy tissue under there. This is called debriding, and it gets down to the healthy viable tissue. Let us know what happens if you go to the vet. If the vet is not familiar with chickens, they might suggest putting her down. That is what many people used to do when prolapses occurred. It can be frustrating to treat a prolapse, and many people do not have the time to treat hens. Sometimes even with treatment, the prolapse can become worse, so whatever you do, we will support you here. Once they have a prolapse, they may have rhem again. Some do and some don’t.

 

[mrspeete]

Ok guys it turns out there are only 2 avian vets in Utah...what!?!? and none of them are willing to help over the phone. After getting nowhere all morning I came across Dr. Sheila at Crow Hill Vet in Colorado. If you live around Bailey go see her! She is my new hero!...anyway...she told me to use sugar water to clean and soak her prolapse and lots of sterile lube. No prep H because that is likely the cause of the crust. She said as long as there is no black we are still good. She also explained to me how to stitch her vent partially closed to help it stay in but still allow her to poop. She told me about pain relief and to give her medicated feed. We are going to try these things and pray!

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that you located a vet who would help you over the phone. Earlier in the thread, one of the lubricants I suggested was honey, which most of the literature recommends to help reduce swelling. Sugar and water made into a paste is also good for that. Let us know how she gets along.