Red Sex Link Hen Having Goopy Vent Problems

[my sunwolf]

Please help! I just adopted 4 golden comets/red sex-links last month, then a week ago brought home 20 Ameraucana and 10 silver Wyandotte chicks, and yesterday acquired an Ameraucana and a White Rock hen. Since I didn't know anything about chickens when I got my first four red sex-links, I didn't think to check their vents before buying them. When I got them home, one of them had poo stuck around there and had some redness/swelling, along with missing vent feathers. We gave her a bath but it didn't help much. We called the guy who sold them to us and he seemed to think it was stress, either from the trip or from molting, or possibly worms. We haven't done anything, hoping that it would get better on its own, but it's only gotten worse. We have the four of them in a 4x8ft tractor coop on fresh pasture every day, and I have cleaned out the coop entirely three times, as well as putting fresh straw on top every day and picking out poopy bits every few days. They're just fed Purina layer pellets.

Any ideas as to what could be going on? She's eating and drinking and laying (though there's poo on most of the eggs because she insists on laying on the floor of the coop). In fact, she lays every day and hasn't taken a break once. She had an egg stuck the first day we brought her home, and she laid that egg plus another one the next morning. Her name is Awkward, and I included some pictures just in case that would be helpful. She is exactly 1 year, has no blood in her stool, looks a little skinny (thought it was from molting), and she smells terrible.

 

[my sunwolf]

Please?

 

[Chickmate]

I can't help you because I have the same situation with two hens, though not as pronounced as yours. I have an EE who poops very watery poop and it covers her butt like your hen. I checked the poop chart but can't find a picture that looks quite the same. I'm going to worm mine just to be sure, even though I haven't seen any worms. I have bathed mine and cut the fluff off under her vent to help keep her clean. She is completely normal otherwise, eating, drinking, laying, active, etc. My other Marans hen seems more fluffed out and just "looks" like she doesn't feel good. Her eyes and nostrils are clear, but poop on the fluff under her vent, like the other. I caught her this morning and bathed her butt, cut the feathers, checked her vent which looks OK. I'm wondering if this one might be constipated? Maybe yours is too? I've read that they get poopy butts when they are. I cleaned her up and swabbed olive oil around and in her vent, but don't know what else to do for her, so I'm looking for answers as well. Hope someone give you advice, I'll be watching to see what they say. Good luck.

 

[my sunwolf]

Thanks for the solidarity--that poop chart is amazing! My hen's droppings are watery, smelly and frequent. She stands preening on a perch and just drips milky fluid. She's picked more and more feathers away from her vent, and it's starting to look a little bald. She is DEFINITELY losing weight, as are my other chickens. I'm starting to think worms. I've definitely read about constipated chickens but they poo so much that I just didn't think it could be possible. Sometimes they fluff up, sometimes they hunker down, put their tails low like a duck, and waggle them, like their vents itch. I've been reading around on the forums, but so far looks like it could be ANYTHING, and I would really prefer not to take her to the vet. I've been doing garlic, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, oatmeal, olive oil, warm baths, but nothing's helped. She's still eating and drinking and laying, though now it's every other day. The whole flock has sort of slowed down with their laying, not sure if it's the heat or if they're all becoming sick. These are my first chickens and I have no idea what to do!

 

[mmktdox]

Can you get a close up of her vent? Just wondering if it might be vent gleet (yeast infection?) A good picture would help forum members make a better diagnosis, there's so much experience here someone will know what it is!

 

[my sunwolf]

Thank you!!! I'll go take some and will get them posted next time I make an internet outing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I rescued a very tiny cochin bantam with a terrible case of vent gleet, did the monistat didn't help and now i am soaking her bottom in epsom salt water with H202mixed in plus after endless searches about how to help her I am trying this Just started this part today. I am hoping this will get rid of it for good. Good luck with your girl, if she has a smell most likely thats what your dealing with. and the discharge is whiteish. http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2011/02/the-epsom-salt-cure/

 

[hannahwren]

I have Bantam Cochins. . . . And well. . . they do not smell, but do get poop in their feathers, I call them dingle berries, lol. . . . some of them get them and some dont. Is this normal? I have always just cut them out with scissors, is that Okay?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have Bantam Cochins. . . . And well. . . they do not smell, but do get poop in their feathers, I call them dingle berries, lol. . . . some of them get them and some dont. Is this normal? I have always just cut them out with scissors, is that Okay?

I keep the fluff trimmed around my cochins vents, they do get messy. It also helps the rooster out too.

 

[hannahwren]

Thank You. I have had a rough week with mine, and now second guessing everything I have been doing. . .But I believe I am on the right track now, Hopeful!