Prolapsed vent—egg folded inside

[brix]

I really appreciate all the support and help from everyone! Thank you so much!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Fascinating! Thank you so much!

Edited to add:

Just to clarify:

If poop is not coming out the vent/cloaca, and you can see the vent is healthy and intact, the only other way I could see it coming out a different hole is through a fistula, otherwise you would see a protrusion coming out of the vent and she would be pooping out the side of the protrusion, right?

No. There's no Fistula from what I can tell, but this is an interesting situation.

Let's look at this again. Bear with me again. Text is with and between photos so please take the time to look at all of the post.

Above, what a "normal" vent looks like if being examined.
Note there is only 1 "opening" that you see.
IF you were to feel inside the Vent going a little "up" you would find the opening to the Shell Gland/Vagina leading to the Oviduct/Reproductive System.

If you were to fee inside the Vent going a little to the "side or down", then you'd find the opening to the Large Intestine.

The photo below.

See the red line - that is an outer "lip/edge" of the vent. The red tissue protruding is either part of the intestine or oviduct - hard to know because I'm not sure of the orientation of the photo. Let's just say that is internal tissue.

The opening of the intestines is there, but captured in the swollen tissue, this is why she's leaking poop or poop is coming around the mass.

This membrane material, I think needs to be removed all together. I don't think it's tissue, but it's pinched or caught in the swelling of the tissues.

You may have to actually gently push the vent/prolapsed tissue inside slightly to see if you can work the membrane loose. Much like closing a scarf in a door, it's pinched.

Does this make sense?

+

 

[brix]

Fascinating! Thank you so much!

O.K.
The Large Intestine and The Oviduct both connect at the "cloaca" or "vent".

Bear with me...photos coming up

See this image - you have the large intestine meeting at the cloaca (vent), the "upper" tube is the Oviduct (Reproductive system).
Both meet and both have their own "opening" at the vent.
View attachment 4026254

This is a Quail, but their reproductive and intestine system is the same as a chicken.

This little one had a full prolapse - you can see both the large intestine opening and the reproductive opening. These are "housed" right inside of the Vent/Cloaca.

So, yes, you will see poop/leakage coming around the side because the intestinal opening is still basically inside the vent which is good thing. You do not want a full prolapse with both openings protruding.

View attachment 4026262
Photo Reference








View attachment 4026257

More of her tissue has shrunk, giving better visibility this evening to the other side of her prolapse where the poop was coming from. While we did use dawn and tried to loosen and clean the old tissue and gunk away, there were still a few spots attached well enough that I felt it would ultimately hurt the tender skin underneath if I peeled it alway, so I’ve lubricated around the vent and am leaving it for now. She holds very still for all my ministrations as if she welcomes the help. I can see her muscles working to try to expel it, but can’t just yet. I did trim some of the excess sack back a bit, and it’s looking like perhaps she did have a double prolapse? Both holes outside of the vent and the bubble that formed around them having two chambers, one around the soft shell egg where the Oviduct tube was, and the other around the large intestinal tube, keeping the two totally separate. Just a thought from someone who is not at all educated on chicken anatomy or issues such as this.

She’s acting normal, roaming about the house, eating, drinking and causing general havoc, for which I’m glad. I’m hopeful she’ll recover fully, but have no idea what all of this means for her future trying to lay eggs, or even just reintegrating her into the flock.

A few updated pics.

 

[brix]

No. There's no Fistula from what I can tell, but this is an interesting situation.

Let's look at this again. Bear with me again. Text is with and between photos so please take the time to look at all of the post.

View attachment 4026562
Above, what a "normal" vent looks like if being examined.
Note there is only 1 "opening" that you see.
IF you were to feel inside the Vent going a little "up" you would find the opening to the Shell Gland/Vagina leading to the Oviduct/Reproductive System.

If you were to fee inside the Vent going a little to the "side or down", then you'd find the opening to the Large Intestine.

The photo below.

See the red line - that is an outer "lip/edge" of the vent. The red tissue protruding is either part of the intestine or oviduct - hard to know because I'm not sure of the orientation of the photo. Let's just say that is internal tissue.

The opening of the intestines is there, but captured in the swollen tissue, this is why she's leaking poop or poop is coming around the mass.
View attachment 4026563

This membrane material, I think needs to be removed all together. I don't think it's tissue, but it's pinched or caught in the swelling of the tissues.

You may have to actually gently push the vent/prolapsed tissue inside slightly to see if you can work the membrane loose. Much like closing a scarf in a door, it's pinched.

Does this make sense?



View attachment 4026564
+

This does help so much! Before I saw your reply I posted an update. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me understand and learn more!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

More of her tissue has shrunk, giving better visibility this evening to the other side of her prolapse where the poop was coming from. While we did use dawn and tried to loosen and clean the old tissue and gunk away, there were still a few spots attached well enough that I felt it would ultimately hurt the tender skin underneath if I peeled it alway, so I’ve lubricated around the vent and am leaving it for now. She holds very still for all my ministrations as if she welcomes the help. I can see her muscles working to try to expel it, but can’t just yet. I did trim some of the excess sack back a bit, and it’s looking like perhaps she did have a double prolapse? Both holes outside of the vent and the bubble that formed around them having two chambers, one around the soft shell egg where the Oviduct tube was, and the other around the large intestinal tube, keeping the two totally separate. Just a thought from someone who is not at all educated on chicken anatomy or issues such as this.

She’s acting normal, roaming about the house, eating, drinking and causing general havoc, for which I’m glad. I’m hopeful she’ll recover fully, but have no idea what all of this means for her future trying to lay eggs, or even just reintegrating her into the flock.

A few updated pics.

Thank you for the updated photos.

I see what you mean! Very good description.

Just keep working with her, she sounds like such a good girl!
I think that material will eventually loosen up but it can take time for it to slough off.

I'd continue with the Calcium daily, you see her contractions - the Calcium helps with that as well as retention.
Continue the antibiotics - finish the whole course.

Hopefully once she's healed from this, she won't have any more problems, but some hens can be prone to prolapse again. Time will tell.

Please continue to update and add photos. This is learning for all of us. I learn a LOT from threads.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@brix how is she doing?

 

[brix]

@brix how is she doing?

Sorry Just saw this! She’s acting totally fine, but as of today still has some dead tissue hanging on. It’s come loose in a few areas but still attached enough in others I haven’t been able to remove it. I’m keeping antibiotic ointment around the ridge of her vent, and doing bath soaks and calcium. She still has both holes outside of the vent as the tissue is hanging on to them for dear life. She’s happy though, and today she kept waiting by the back door so I let her out with the rest of her flock to forage for something other than the crumbs off my kitchen floor, just for a few hours. Im not sure what else I can do about her prolapse, and I’m a little concerned about her pulling her tissue back in all the way once the rest detaches. I guess time will tell.