Prolapsed vent

WindingRoad

Crowing
Nov 21, 2018
1,765
3,044
283
Maine
I noticed one of my white leghorns ( layer jumbo eggs) with a blood streaked eggs. Didn't know which on as they all look alike, I have 5. Hard to catch getting more tame. I've had them since late September. Today I notice her butt was bloody. I managed to catch her and notice a prolapse vent out about 1/2 inch and angry red. What to do? I love my birds and hate to cull.
 
Pictures are always helpful if possible. Does it look like any of the hens has pecked the vent area? Separate her from the flock, so they don’t damage her vent. A dog crate in the coop is fine, but it might be easier to keep any eye on her inside the house. Keep the red prolapse tissue moist constantly so that it doesn’t fry out and die. Add a little honey to it and try pushing it back inside, then hold it for several minutes. Coconut oil, mineral oil, or other mild oil will do. It may pop back out, but keep pushing it back inside. If you need to stop her from laying temporarily you can place her in a dark room or crate for 16 hours per day, letting her out for 8 hours daily to eat and drink. But that can be difficult. The danger with a prolapse, is that the intestines can come out if it becomes severe. Usually this doesn’t happen, but it can take a couple of days to keep the prolapse to stay in. Make sure that she can poop around the prolapse, or she might have an egg in there. Here is a detailed article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic/
 
Pictures are always helpful if possible. Does it look like any of the hens has pecked the vent area? Separate her from the flock, so they don’t damage her vent. A dog crate in the coop is fine, but it might be easier to keep any eye on her inside the house. Keep the red prolapse tissue moist constantly so that it doesn’t fry out and die. Add a little honey to it and try pushing it back inside, then hold it for several minutes. Coconut oil, mineral oil, or other mild oil will do. It may pop back out, but keep pushing it back inside. If you need to stop her from laying temporarily you can place her in a dark room or crate for 16 hours per day, letting her out for 8 hours daily to eat and drink. But that can be difficult. The danger with a prolapse, is that the intestines can come out if it becomes severe. Usually this doesn’t happen, but it can take a couple of days to keep the prolapse to stay in. Make sure that she can poop around the prolapse, or she might have an egg in there. Here is a detailed article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic/
Today it was very obvious so I don't think anyone has pecked at it. I brought her inside and used white cloths to clean her bum. Trimmed feathers around area. Slathered A Lot of Bag Balm around the area then on the prolapse pushed it back in Dried her with hair dryer. That is one thing the birds don't like the taste of so I'm hoping they don't pack her. Headed to TSC for that Vetricyn med and isolation pen. Sorry my MAC is dying so have to use Kindle and it's a pain to type on that's why it took me awhile to get back to you. Thanks for your help. Gotta get some gloves. I used a plastic sandwich bag. BTW I am an RN Familiar with prolaspe. She was a perfect patient. Even with me holding her upside down LOL BTW she didn't poop on me or the floor used a lot bleach I probably have the cleanest hands in Maine VBG
 
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Pictures are always helpful if possible. Does it look like any of the hens has pecked the vent area? Separate her from the flock, so they don’t damage her vent. A dog crate in the coop is fine, but it might be easier to keep any eye on her inside the house. Keep the red prolapse tissue moist constantly so that it doesn’t fry out and die. Add a little honey to it and try pushing it back inside, then hold it for several minutes. Coconut oil, mineral oil, or other mild oil will do. It may pop back out, but keep pushing it back inside. If you need to stop her from laying temporarily you can place her in a dark room or crate for 16 hours per day, letting her out for 8 hours daily to eat and drink. But that can be difficult. The danger with a prolapse, is that the intestines can come out if it becomes severe. Usually this doesn’t happen, but it can take a couple of days to keep the prolapse to stay in. Make sure that she can poop around the prolapse, or she might have an egg in there. Here is a detailed article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic/
I didn't feel anything inside. What do I do at night. How do I keep her warm in the pen in the coop
 
I would probably keep her inside while the prolapse is out. But you could cover her cage with a blanket or tarp. I suppose the prolapse could freeze, so something else to think about.

I am an RN as well, and you sound part McGuyver like me. I have recommeded using a sandwich bag as a rubber glove before, LOL. You have to use what you have handy sometimes.
 
I would probably keep her inside while the prolapse is out. But you could cover her cage with a blanket or tarp. I suppose the prolapse could freeze, so something else to think about.

I am an RN as well, and you sound part McGuyver like me. I have recommeded using a sandwich bag as a rubber glove before, LOL. You have to use what you have handy sometimes.
it's back in for now. Hourly rounds.
I would probably keep her inside while the prolapse is out. But you could cover her cage with a blanket or tarp. I suppose the prolapse could freeze, so something else to think about.

I am an RN as well, and you sound part McGuyver like me. I have recommeded using a sandwich bag as a rubber glove before, LOL. You have to use what you have handy sometimes.

UPDATE

Got dog crate. Med size but she can move around just fits put a dish of water in the corner. And then a soft rug and covered with pine shavings. Just pull the rug out shake and replace pine shavings. Letting her eat breakfast and then clean bum trim any stray feathers, Coconut oil ( that ain't cheap stuff) and covering whole bum with bag balm. Back in crate with hand full of scratch and handful of mealworms.
I read that article you sent me and lady says not to feed a lot so they won't lay. She laid yesterday. 71 gram egg all blood streaked egg before I could limit food etc.

In crate yesterday all day with navy blue fleece over it. Seems ok vent not out so much today and pretty normal color. I can't believe how docile she is at treatment time. No wiggling, no fighting. No clucking or fussing. I warped her in a towel and just talked softly to her.
I put her to roost last night and she seemed to do well.

I keep a gallon jug of water, capped in the coop to judge temp in there at night and it wasn't frozen this morning. But I put her in the middle of the birds to keep her warm. She doesn't seem to be cold. Big red comb and wattles. They are nice and warm and color is WNL.

I hope all this will. work. I will stick with it until she's all better.

Anything else I should do.

Side note: I have egg eaters. I think all 16 eat now and then. So I tried the mustard, water, Tabasco sauce and some of those little bugger LIKE it. I got some ceramic eggs. Some of them give up pretty quickly when they won't break. We'll see. Thanks so much for that article short sweet and to the point. Oh and I had to make sure all the chickens on the roost were facing the same way. Caught one facing near her butt trying to peck. Turned her around.

BTW do chickens have a sense of smell?
 
It helps if you can collect the eggs at various times of day. I have had a few hens who would go looking in the afternoon for eggs that had been sitting around. They might only peck at them, but if one had a thin shell, you bet they got it.

It sounds like she is doing well. Glad that the prolapse is back inside.

Their sense of smell is not as good as some other birds or animals. Here is some info on birds’ and chickens’ sense of smell:
https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Avian_Sense.html
http://www.scoopfromthecoop.com/can-chickens-smell-taste/
 
I 've caught some of them turn around and start pecking their egg. eggs they just laid. Little buggers
Come spring I'll have my carpenter rig the nests. Sloped board and eggs roll under another board so they can't get to them. So you think she's ok on the roost. We have been way above average in temperature around here in Maine
 

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