Prolapsed vent and gleet

[bacbacbac]

Initially I thought I was treating a prolapsed vent, but after two epsom salt warm water soaks, Vetericyn sprays, and hydrocortisone cream, I see there might be another issue as well. Sorry for the close ups but I wanted to be sure to showcase the white areas on the prolapse and the goo so someone could help me determine if I should be treating for candida as well. The white areas on the prolapse are tough and thick, really stuck on, and at first I thought they were egg membrane from a broken egg. If I pull at them slightly they threaten to tear the tissue. The prolapse keeps returning. Other details to note, she appears to be pooping just fine but the slurry coming out of her is slimy and smells less like yeast and more like egg whites to me. She did lay an egg yesterday that was small and in good shape, but no egg today after being crated. I'm giving her vitamin water and a bit of plain whole milk yogurt, along with her regular feed. After reading another post about a similar predicament, I'm wondering if I should be trying to remove the white stuff, and if so, how to do so gently? I do have a chicken-literate vet at our clinic but I thought I'd check here first. I'm a six year chicken keeper, always learning but not at all experienced in maladies.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm not sure that is vent gleet but I'm no expert on it.
I would continue to bath and see if you can eventually get it broken down by gentle massage with a mild soap and then rinse thoroughly, apply Prep H or honey, gently push back in and hold until she stops trying to push it back out. Then keep in a darkened place for a few days.
Am I imagining it or is the area below her vent swollen/bloated.....It looks like she may have ascites or internal laying going on. Has she been laying regularly? I'm wondering if this prolapse is related to a blockage in her lower digestive tract rather than laying egg. The white deposit might be consistent with just urates coming through, a bit like pasty butt.

 

[chitownhens]

I have used Preparation H (without the pain medication) pushed the prolapse in and just kept holding it as the hen continued to push against my finger. She stopped pushing after several minutes and it stayed in pretty much. Then I just bathed her daily. After a week or so she started to get back to normal then was laying like nothing happened.

 

[Sasha Donner]

Hi Iam new to the world of having chickens and unfortunately had one of my chickens with this condition! I did some research and kinda fumbled my way through treating my chook. Her vent was huge and hanging out! She was not well at all,hardly walk. I started by bathing her in warm water with a little soap,this helped soften and remove the white sticky muck,( I think she really enjoyed the warmth of the water. It didn't all come off at once but after a few washes it all came off. I didn't want to pick at the hard stuff as I worried about ripping the tender skin.i then rinsed with another bucket of warm water with vinager . I got some kids thrush medicine ( can't remember name,I just asked the chemist and he suggested it.)which I gave twice daily by mouth, and put apple cider in their drinking water. I kinda did everthing I had heard of doing.she came good in a week and is back to norm. Pretty happy as I've heard they can dye from this. Her vent was hanging right out and went in by itself.

 

[bacbacbac]

Thanks to everyone that posted. I spoke with a vet and it turns out the white stuff is just urea and it just took some soaking and some attention and I was able to clear it off, only for more to get lodged there soonafter. I've been spraying her with Vetricyn, soaking her in epsom salts, and pushing her prolapse back in at least daily. Each morning it is popped back out again. I have her crated but I guess it was a mistake to leave her outside in the shade, as maybe it is too much light and she is still laying. As a last resort, I'm bringing her to the garage and will continue treatment for two more days. I'd read that Prep H was no longer recommended, but hydrocortisone instead, but I think I will also switch to Prep H and see if that helps. I'm concerned this has gone on too long, as who knows how long it was before I caught it, and that this will be her undoing. My vet tells me he'll do a "pursestring stitch" for 24 hours for about $120 so if she's not better by Tues when he's back in the office I'll probably have a last go with that.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would use either honey or Prepartion H cream to help shrink the prolapsed tissue. Then you can hold it in for about 10 minutes, while holding her on your lap, say watching TV or the other chickens. This probably needs to be repeated multiple times a day. The tissue looks pretty healthy, although swollen. Was she pecked by the others when it first happened? Sometimes there can be a stuck egg in there or some constipation causing it to come back out. The purse string procedure has been helpful to some, although expensive, but prolapse is something that can happen again later, or sometimes not. I would ask the details of the procedure and the success rate first. A dark or covered cage for 16 hours overnight daily for a while can help to stop laying temporarily. It also helps to reduce feed and protein somewhat, but of course, keep giving plenty of water. If she won't eat or seems to miss her flock she could spend her 8 hours of daylight in a crate near them. TheChickenChick and Beauty of Birds are two good links on prolapsed vent or cloaca in a chicken that I usually like to refer.

 

[chitownhens]

If it were me I wouldn’t do the surgery but that doesn’t mean I would be right. The idea behind the Prep H without any pain medication is that is helps to shrink the tissue. The same reason many people are known to have used the product around there own eye area. It’s shrinks puffed up eye bags.


Keep trying would be my advice. If I would have posted a video of my own hen many here would have told me to put her down. She is probably the only sick hen I had that clearly looked distressed. Most especially when she tried to poop it was hard to watch her and not feel sad. I got to the point where I was so frustrated that I kept my finger inside for as long as it took. Maybe you need to do it longer I’m not sure. If you can make her comfortable mine was in the picture perhaps 30 minutes or longer is needed. Whatever it takes maybe one hour a day until it stays in.

As others have suggested maybe honey might work too. I have some Manuka honey it is very expensive but that would be my first choice.

 

[bacbacbac]

Okay folks, we have a chicken miracle here! Apologies for the length, but I wanted to give the full story in case anyone like me is looking around for answers or is trying to decide how long to treat a prolapsed vent. I soaked her in epsom salt water, sprayed with Vetrycin, and pushed and held her prolapse in every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and sometimes for an hour depending on my availability, used hydrocortisol for about a week, then one day with honey, and the remainder with Preparation H. I was starting to lose hope and prepare myself for her humane departure to chicken Valhalla. About 7 days in on the process I finally brought her from the shaded crate I had her in outside to the cool, dark garage. After one day inside with no sun, I started to give her outside time in a dog kennel near the flock. She mostly was eager to find a way to be with them, but did some dust bathing and pecking around, and was generally happy. She stopped laying but her prolapse popped back out every time she pooped or strained, and although it was healthy tissue, her urea was still separating from her poop, and it was all gathering around her vent feathers. About day ten, I had her out for her six hours of outdoor time, and when I picked her up to bring her inside, considering that to be the last time she'd see her flock, she fought me suddenly and I dropped her. I thought, well you might as well have the evening with them (the prolapse wasn't very red and her tail feathers looked like they'd cover it well enough) and then I'd go in a grab her when she roosted for the night, so I dropped her in with the girls. They accepted her just find an went about their business. I didn't go get her that night and the next day I thought it looked like her vent was clear and no prolapse. I again prepared myself that I was in denial and that I just didn't see it correctly. I've checked her for two nights and no prolapse! Her booty is clean of urea and she'd doing just fine. I'm pretty sure I started treatments about 14 July, so the whole process took about two weeks. We'll see what happens when she lays again.

 

[Eggcessive]

Very good news, and I hope she remains healthy.

 

[chitownhens]

I've checked her for two nights and no prolapse!

So nice to hear when a hen recovers

Great effort and perseverance on your part.