Questions about prolapse vent

[Chopper923]

Hello all! I have a 10-month-old Leghorn with a prolapsed vent. Last night I was able to help her expell a rubbery egg! What I've done so far:
* separated her from flock and placed her in quiet garage with low light;
* soaked her in epsom salt baths for 20 minutes 3 times;
* trimmed away nasty feather and cleaned vent area;
* after each bath, I've sprayed her vent area with Vetericyn and held a cotton ball soaked with witch hazel on her vent;
* lubed the area with coconut oil; * given her Tums (I have calcium citrate coming tomorrow, but I will see if my husband can pick some up today) and electrolytes in her water.
I've made the glucose water to spray her vent area...just waiting for it to cool, and I will rinse her vent multiple times per day with that. I will apply more ointment (hydrocortisone this time possibly?) and honey. She is alert and eating, but I haven't seen her drink much. She is calm during her baths, so I feel like my treatments are not stressing her more. I was able to push the tissue back in, but it comes right back out. I understand that I will need to be patient and persistent with the process. I also understand that it will help holding the tissue in for longer periods. Before I try to help the tissue back in, I am concerned with poop that is dried on it...I have gently removed all that will come off. Even after the multiple soakings and lubing, I cannot get it off, so I don't want to cause an infection. Maybe after another lubing and application of honey, I will be able to remove the last of it? I am attaching pix...any suggestions would be so appreciated! Also, the poop I see in the bottom of her kennel is very dry, so I'm assuming she is dehydrated?

 

[Chopper923]

This is what caused me concern...I thought it was vent gleet until I trimmed away her feathers.

 

[Chopper923]

I am tagging the wonderful people who have helped me with past issues...I hope that is OK!

@azygous
@Allsfairinloveandbugs
@TropicalChickies
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@Kiki

 

[Kiki]

I wouldn't worry too much about the dirty butt. I'd worry more about her not drinking/eating.

How long has she been laying?
What are you feeding her?

 

[Eggcessive]

There sometimes is a scabby appearance to the prolapse, and that may be what you are seeing, that is not coming off. So don’t worry about it. It may come off eventually on its own. Keep the prolapse clean and moist with the sugar or honey. Any oil such as vaseline or coconut oil are fine. If using sugar, make it into a paste with just a couple of drops of water (think pancake syrup consistency.) The calcium is good to promote muscle contraction and to make shells stronger. Encourage drinking by adding water to her food, and watery eggs. Laying a shell-less egg can make them feel lousy and weak. Look for more or becoming egg bound, where she may strain or have trouble passing an egg. Let us know if she cannot poop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There sometimes is a scabby appearance to the prolapse, and that may be what you are seeing, that is not coming off. So don’t worry about it. It may come off eventually on its own. Keep the prolapse clean and moist with the sugar or honey. Any oil such as vaseline or coconut oil are fine. If using sugar, make it into a paste with just a couple of drops of water (think pancake syrup consistency.) The calcium is good to promote muscle contraction and to make shells stronger. Encourage drinking by adding water to her food, and watery eggs. Laying a shell-less egg can make them feel lousy and weak. Look for more or becoming egg bound, where she may strain or have trouble passing an egg. Let us know if she cannot poop.

X2

Keeping the tissue moist if very important.

The urates will often stick to the tissue like glue it seems. Keeping the oil/ointment on there will help.
Daily soakings and see if it will heal up.

 

[Chopper923]

I wouldn't worry too much about the dirty butt. I'd worry more about her not drinking/eating.

How long has she been laying?
What are you feeding her?

She is on a layer's mix from our local feedmill, and I do ferment some of it since it seems to just go to waste (mostly the powdery remnants that the birds leave in the bottom of the feeder). They get that about 3 times a week. They have a container of oyster shells and grit available at all times. On a side note, I am the one who has dealt with a lot of death in the flock due to multiple health issues. We seem to be over the worst of it...this is my first medical issue in a few months. All chickens are on a monthly dose of denagard (3 consecutive days) to keep Mycoplasma symptoms at bay. (Dealing with MS and MG.)

I am not sure how long she has been laying. We have quite a few Leghorns, and I am not sure who is who. (My daughter has named this one Hennedy since bringing her into the garage.) Hennedy didn't seem interested in food during the afternoon and early evening...she did a lot of sitting in a box with wood shavings - maybe trying to lay an egg? Last night, she was pecking away at a bit of scrambled egg and her regular feed. This morning she is up and again interested in food. I made some rice, and I am going to sprinkle some into her water to encourage her to get some fluids.

 

[Chopper923]

There sometimes is a scabby appearance to the prolapse, and that may be what you are seeing, that is not coming off. So don’t worry about it. It may come off eventually on its own. Keep the prolapse clean and moist with the sugar or honey. Any oil such as vaseline or coconut oil are fine. If using sugar, make it into a paste with just a couple of drops of water (think pancake syrup consistency.) The calcium is good to promote muscle contraction and to make shells stronger. Encourage drinking by adding water to her food, and watery eggs. Laying a shell-less egg can make them feel lousy and weak. Look for more or becoming egg bound, where she may strain or have trouble passing an egg. Let us know if she cannot poop.

Good to know about how the appearance of how the tissue can look...I was worried that if I couldn't get it clean enough, I shouldn't put it back in due to causing infection. I will continue to clean and apply oil to keep it moist. Should I NOT try to put it back in? The sugar water I made has a thick consistency, but i will take a small amount and add more sugar to get it more syrupy. I will give her another tums for now - the calcium citrate with d3 will be here this afternoon. I will add rice to her water to encourage drinking (going back out shortly with the rice). I've kept it dark in the garage except for a few hours, to keep her body from wanting to produce eggs, but she sat in a box quite a bit yesterday, so maybe I was too late...I worry that another egg will get stuck. Poor girl....She is quite alert and active this morning....from the front end of her, I would never even know something was wrong!

 

[Chopper923]

There sometimes is a scabby appearance to the prolapse, and that may be what you are seeing, that is not coming off. So don’t worry about it. It may come off eventually on its own. Keep the prolapse clean and moist with the sugar or honey. Any oil such as vaseline or coconut oil are fine. If using sugar, make it into a paste with just a couple of drops of water (think pancake syrup consistency.) The calcium is good to promote muscle contraction and to make shells stronger. Encourage drinking by adding water to her food, and watery eggs. Laying a shell-less egg can make them feel lousy and weak. Look for more or becoming egg bound, where she may strain or have trouble passing an egg. Let us know if she cannot poop.

One other thing...the video you shared with @Dianekw was so intense and informative!! It also made me aware that the egg can be within tissue that comes out of a hen's body. The other night, a ball-like form of tissue came out of her, and I worried that it was another egg. I checked and double checked...I could not feel a 2nd egg. Hennedy must have felt a bit violated when I was done. It's good to know that I am getting better at this, tho....she stayed pretty calm throughout the process, like she knew I might be able to bring her relief. I will definitely monitor her for signs of being egg bound.

 

[Chopper923]

X2

Keeping the tissue moist if very important.

The urates will often stick to the tissue like glue it seems. Keeping the oil/ointment on there will help.
Daily soakings and see if it will heal up.

Will do!