Red Butt - Mystery Ailment

[hencam]

My barred rock, 4 year old hen, Eleanor, has a mystery ailment and I'm hoping someone out there can help. A few days ago I noticed her limping and thought she'd pulled a muscle. I checked her legs. Fine. Then I noticed that the skin below her vent was bright red, hot and swollen. I did an internal check (vaseline on a finger and wiggled it around in there.) Didn't detect any internal injury, nor a stuck egg. She doesn't have lice or mites. Her diet is the same as all the other hens who are fine. She's eating. Some poops, but not big healthy ones.

I gave her a good warm soak in an epsom salt bath. Poured some olive oil down her throat. Am giving her baytril (a powerful antibiotic.) Have her isolated.

Two days later, no change in her behavior (she's bright-eyed, but moving with discomfort) or symptoms.

(I've got photos, would someone clue me in on how to post jpgs here?)

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[verthandi]

Can't help you much with the symptoms of your hen, but the upload tab for photos is at the top of the page when you start a new post. Just click it and find the photo on your computer and it will upload it for you.

 

[pkeeler]

Are you sure one of the other birds was not vent picking?

 

[hencam]

I've had vent pecking problems before - so that was a good suggestion. But, that's not the cause this time.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Your link didn't work...I am anxious to see your pics because mine have the same problem. I use Photobucket to upload my pics here and it is very easy.

 

[hencam]

The top photo is a healthy barred rock. Below is poor Eleanor's bottom. What do you think?

 

[gumpsgirl]

It looks like some sort of skin problem to me. She's even missing some feathers down there. Hmmm....

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I think she looks just like all of ours! We have no idea what's causing it. We have 3 hens who live outside the coop now. We bought some DE and have been mixing it in with their dust bath and our RIR is now growing her feathers back. The ones inside the coop, even though we put DE in there - it isn't helping. We call it "baboon butt" and same as yours, they are red and featherless. I hope someone else can provide an answer to what is causing it.

 

[silkiechicken]

Without feathers, skin turns red on chickens. So we might have to seek out a reason feathers are being lost. Mites, picking, half moulting but having pin feathers pulled, and so on. Really I don't have an answer though. I have a bald bottom hen, but her problem is that she is an internal layer and is swollen to where her bum feathers fall out. She's an untouchable so till I see her lose appetite and desire to run around, she'll be fed with the rest.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Quote:
Hmmm...didn't know that! Maybe it's just a very happy rooster? That would explain why the ones living outside the coop are growing feathers back.