Prolapsed Vent!!

[Amberan02]

I’ve been treating for several days. Tried putting it back in few times and it didn’t work. I have her in a cage with little food. My question is...how long can I give her to heal before giving up? I’ve been soaking twice a day, vetericyn spray, cortisone spray, and sugar. She laid an egg yesterday and I actually thought there was some improvement. Not sure today. She is pooping normal. She’s our favorite!!!
Any other advice?? She’s tired of treatment but acts fine otherwise.

 

[Eggcessive]

Prolapsed vents can be time consuming and it is not uncommon for some to have to treat for a week or more. It just depends on how much time you have to devote to her. Most times the prolapse will eventually stay inside when swelling goes down. Passing poops or straining to laying eggs may cause the prolapse to pop back out. You can stop laying temporarily by keeping her cage dark or placing in a dark room for 16 hours each day including overnight. Then for 8 hours a day, they can be in light to walk around and eat/drink. That can take 3 days to accomplish, and once she stops laying, it may take a week or two to sesume laying. Bathing once a day is enough unless she is soiling her vent.

Keeping the red prolased tissue moist and not letting it dry out is most important since the tissue can die. Honey or a 1:1 sugar and water mixture is very good, but coconut , vegetable, mineral oil, or vaseline are all good. Some experts use hydrocortisone cream or hemorrhoid cream, but just keep something on it until it stays in.

 

[Amberan02]

Thank you for your reply!! I’m fine with spending as much time on her as needed. Just didn’t want her suffering or it never getting fixed!! I’m keeping her in the dark and hoping she will stop laying for now.

 

[Eggcessive]

The dangers with a prolapse are having part of the internal tissue getting dried out and dying (necrotic,) pecking of the red tissue from other chickens where they can pull out the cloaca and intestines, or prolapse of the intestines. Just from reading a lot here, that doesn’t happen often, but it can. In the past, farmers used to kill these chickens, and use them for meat. But many are able to save the hens. It can happen again or possibly never occur again.

 

[Amberan02]

I thought she just had poop on it...but I may be dealing with necrosis after I just went to check on her. Does necrosis mean it’s too late to save her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Not necessarily. Pictures can be helpful. Sometimes there might be some necrosis or scabbing that can be gradually scrubbed off after soaking in warm soapy water. After that I would apply some antibiotic ointment. Sometimes those areas may eventually fall off revealing healthy skin underneath.

 

[Amberan02]

 

[Amberan02]

That’s not very helpful. The feathers are blocking the other half that I’m concerned about! I will keep trying! She’s so sweet!

 

[Amberan02]

Also....I took that picture this morning and will get a better one when I soak this evening.

 

[Amberan02]

This was after a long soak and some removal of the white stuff?