Prolapsed Oviduct Healing Process

[sophielucidojohnson]

I have a small backyard flock with eight chickens, including three Barred Plymouth Rocks. Two days ago, I noticed that one of them had a bloody behind, with what I thought was probably a blocked vent.

When I brought her in, I saw that her behind was crawling with maggots. After hours of bathing and bathing and more bathing, and bathing, and picking maggots out with tweezers, and bathing again, I was finally able to get a good look at what was going on, and determined that yes, she seemed to have a prolapsed oviduct with what seemed like a soft-shelled egg stuck inside. After watching lots of videos and trying to gently push the egg back in, I ultimately made a small incision in the skin, which drained an egg white a yolk, but nothing like a shell that I could find. Then I bathed her again, this time in saline. I oiled up her rear, and she started pooping again, which was great. Throughout this ordeal, she has had great appetite and energy, and hates being quarantined. She wants to play and dig and walk around, and I've been trying to entertain her. She seems like she's doing OK, and the wound is healing up relatively well.

Except... where I made the incision, some of her organ is hanging on the outside of her body. (I'm assuming it's the oviduct, I don't know, I'm not a vet.) My roommate, a surgeon, said that yeah, that's her organ, it's on the outside of her body now, and she can probably survive it, although it's not going to be pretty and she won't lay any more eggs. So today I thought maybe I'd put her back with the flock.

But, of course, the flock instantly started pecking away at her wound, and it started to bleed again. I brought her back into quarantine.

I think I need to bandage it, but can't figure out the best way to do this. It is possible I have done something very wrong and have written her death sentence, I don't know. I feel bad about failing her. We live in an urban area not near any chicken-specific vets. We called many chicken loving people, but I can't find a solution to bandaging this wound.

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.): Barred Plymouth Rock, rescue, so I don't know the age. 7-ish pounds
2) What is the behavior, exactly: Prolapsed oviduct, now healing wound, organ outside of body.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? At least three days.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. Yes, see above.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Unknown
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Corn, layer feed, fresh fruit and veggies, kefir, apple cider vinegar, oats, meal worms
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.: Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?: Washing and surgery, see above.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?: I want to bandage her.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Straw.

 

[azygous]

I'm sorry to add to your guilt over this, but making that incision likely compromised the wall of the vent, weakening its integrity and ability to hold the cloaca in place. It would have been better to treat for a stuck egg with calcium and kept her quiet while the calcium enhanced her contractions to push out the stuck egg.

Any accompanying prolapse is also best left on its own to resolve as her contractions wind down. After passing the egg material, a prolapse almost always will retract. It can take some time if the hen is older, up to three weeks as a hen of mine recently needed for her resolution of a bout of stuck egg and prolapse.

Now, what to do? I strongly suggest you waste no time finding a vet who sees chickens to suture the incision and the prolapse should resolve after that.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I have a small backyard flock with eight chickens, including three Barred Plymouth Rocks. Two days ago, I noticed that one of them had a bloody behind, with what I thought was probably a blocked vent.

When I brought her in, I saw that her behind was crawling with maggots. After hours of bathing and bathing and more bathing, and bathing, and picking maggots out with tweezers, and bathing again, I was finally able to get a good look at what was going on, and determined that yes, she seemed to have a prolapsed oviduct with what seemed like a soft-shelled egg stuck inside. After watching lots of videos and trying to gently push the egg back in, I ultimately made a small incision in the skin, which drained an egg white a yolk, but nothing like a shell that I could find. Then I bathed her again, this time in saline. I oiled up her rear, and she started pooping again, which was great. Throughout this ordeal, she has had great appetite and energy, and hates being quarantined. She wants to play and dig and walk around, and I've been trying to entertain her. She seems like she's doing OK, and the wound is healing up relatively well.

Except... where I made the incision, some of her organ is hanging on the outside of her body. (I'm assuming it's the oviduct, I don't know, I'm not a vet.) My roommate, a surgeon, said that yeah, that's her organ, it's on the outside of her body now, and she can probably survive it, although it's not going to be pretty and she won't lay any more eggs. So today I thought maybe I'd put her back with the flock.

But, of course, the flock instantly started pecking away at her wound, and it started to bleed again. I brought her back into quarantine.

I think I need to bandage it, but can't figure out the best way to do this. It is possible I have done something very wrong and have written her death sentence, I don't know. I feel bad about failing her. We live in an urban area not near any chicken-specific vets. We called many chicken loving people, but I can't find a solution to bandaging this wound.

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.): Barred Plymouth Rock, rescue, so I don't know the age. 7-ish pounds
2) What is the behavior, exactly: Prolapsed oviduct, now healing wound, organ outside of body.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? At least three days.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. Yes, see above.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Unknown
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Corn, layer feed, fresh fruit and veggies, kefir, apple cider vinegar, oats, meal worms
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.: Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?: Washing and surgery, see above.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?: I want to bandage her.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Straw.

What happened? Updates?

 

[sophielucidojohnson]

Ultimately, I took the hen to an exotic pets place, who said the damage was way too severe to do anything about without major surgery that would cost thousands of dollars. The maggots came back and she was unable to heal. We chose to euthanize, which was a heart-wrenching decision. Wish I had better news; thanks as always to the group for support.