Prolapsed Vent - Can a hen be born without an opening for egglaying?

[mtblankus]

So... we're newbie chicken owners and one of my Buff Orpingtons had a prolapsed vent with an egg in it today. After watching a few videos, I tried soaking. I tried to find the opening for the egg to come out and I tried pushing the egg back in. The hen was pretty tolerant of all of this nonsense. When all else, failed, I could see there was a VERY thin area of the tissue with no blood vessels covering the egg, so I cut a slit in it to release the egg. I really, really hope I didn't do the wrong thing, but I could not find ANY other way the egg was supposed to come out. The videos I saw all showed an opening, just that it was too small and needed help to stretch. It's possible this was this hen's first egg, so I thought maybe sometimes they are born without an opening. I cut the tissue, the egg popped out, the chicken sighed in relief. I hope I did the right thing. I put antibiotic ointment on it and pushed the tissue back in. She's resting in a cage in the bathroom now. Any advice?

 

[aart]

Yikes!
Not sure, but systemic antibiotics may be needed, could become contaminated with feces depending on location of cut.
Bumping up, and asked to have thread moved to emergencies forum.
Hope someone with hands on experience chimes in soon for you.

 

[mtblankus]

This morning, she just had a large cherry-sized prolapse with wet poop all over it. Also, all of the feathers around her vent are pin feathers. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but thought I'd mention it. Also, she is almost 5 months old.

She is eating and acting normal and the other chickens aren't bothering her (free range).

 

[Eggcessive]

I would do a daily warm soak with some chlorhexidene or betadine. Then put some Preparation H or honey on the red tissue and push it back inside. Apply plain neosporin to the cut you made. It may keep coming back out, but push it back in and hold it for a few minutes when you find it. Place her in a covered cage or dark room for 16 hours overnight every day to stop her from laying temporarily while she heals. She may have been pecked around her vent since there are pin feathers around the vent.

 

[mtblankus]

The pin feathers are very long, like 2 inches. I found it strange she hasn't preened them.

 

[mtblankus]

Here is what she looks like this morning. Basically just wet and messy feathers in the back, but otherwise seems good. I couldn't get close enough with the camera to see the actual vent. :-/

 

[aart]

I'd keep her isolated in a wire crate over something you can examine any exudate, fecal or otherwise, near the coop and other birds, and be looking closely at that vent several times a day.
Wash any feces off feathers.

 

[mtblankus]

This is what it looked like this morning after cleaning

Should I have removed the black and white crusty looking stuff? I wasn't sure, so I did not. :-/

Here she is after Preparation H, reinsertion, and another wash.

 

[aart]

Do you have her isolated......has she pooped?

 

[abbzgrl]

I'm dealing with a hen of my own with a prolapse vent also. Prolapse was not that bad. Did a prep h and reinsertion yesterday. Popped out a couple times after her pooping. But stayed in all thru the night. How long do I keep her secluded and in dark lighting to discourage egg laying?