Scabs on vent

[WaveyCreekChickens]

Hello everyone
My hen has had sc her vent for over 7 weeks now. I thought it was an injury at first, or that she had had a prolapse, but after bathing and treating her daily for so many weeks with no improvement, I assume it must be something else. I got her to stop laying by keeping her in a darkened cage for a while. I let her back out because she was molting, so I knew she wasn’t going to lay again. I wash it with chlorhexidine soap water, dry it well, and apply ointment. I have tried antibiotic cream, raw honey, colloidal silver and now anti fungal cream. Nothing has made a difference. Whatever it is, it keeps on oozing.
She is otherwise acting normal. Eats, drinks and is active.
My flock is Marek’s positive. I don’t know if this is related to Marek’s or not.
If anyone has any wisdom to share, please do.
This is what it looks like before washing.

After washing. Under the scabs is yellow stuff and sometimes little bloodspots.

 

[SpeckySussex]

I have honestly no idea! Maybe the ither chickens are picking at it because it's more exposed due to the molt?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello everyone
My hen has had sc her vent for over 7 weeks now. I thought it was an injury at first, or that she had had a prolapse, but after bathing and treating her daily for so many weeks with no improvement, I assume it must be something else. I got her to stop laying by keeping her in a darkened cage for a while. I let her back out because she was molting, so I knew she wasn’t going to lay again. I wash it with chlorhexidine soap water, dry it well, and apply ointment. I have tried antibiotic cream, raw honey, colloidal silver and now anti fungal cream. Nothing has made a difference. Whatever it is, it keeps on oozing.
She is otherwise acting normal. Eats, drinks and is active.
My flock is Marek’s positive. I don’t know if this is related to Marek’s or not.
If anyone has any wisdom to share, please do.
This is what it looks like before washing.

After washing. Under the scabs is yellow stuff and sometimes little bloodspots.

Looks like the vent was damage perhaps from picking and/or prolapse.

When damage occurs, sometimes it can take a while to heal and sometimes there's damage to the muscles and she may always leak a bit, hard to know.

It's not uncommon for there to be scabbing for a good while, so I'd continue with giving her a good soak in epsom salts. Apply some mineral oil to the scabs to see if you can work them loose.
Looks like there may be some scabbing inside the vent as well, that will probably eventually slough off as the tissue underneath heals up.

 

[WaveyCreekChickens]

Thank you both for your input.
@Wyorp Rock would you suggest epsom salt over chlorhexidine soap? In the beginning (over 7 weeks ago) I did epsom salt, then found a thread with a similar case on here, where it was suggested that epsom salt would dry it out too much. So I went with what they said there (chlorhexadine).
Most of the scabs come off almost daily, and re-form by the next evening.

 

[WaveyCreekChickens]

Oh, and I never saw any of the others peck at it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you both for your input.
@Wyorp Rock would you suggest epsom salt over chlorhexidine soap? In the beginning (over 7 weeks ago) I did epsom salt, then found a thread with a similar case on here, where it was suggested that epsom salt would dry it out too much. So I went with what they said there (chlorhexadine).
Most of the scabs come off almost daily, and re-form by the next evening.

You can use Chlorhexidine if you wish. Daily soaking should help with the scab, but they take time to finally heal and come off.

 

[WaveyCreekChickens]

I just wanted to update on my scabby vent hen.
I carefully soaked it daily until the end of December. The scab would come off after a few days, with yellow ooze under it, and the a new one would form.
I stopped soaking it and just checked her once a week. It seems to be doing the same thing, whether I soak it or not.
It comes off, and a new one forms.
Meanwhile she is looking great after her molt, is eating, drinking and being a happy hen.
I still check her once a week to make sure the vent is clear for pooping.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I just wanted to update on my scabby vent hen.
I carefully soaked it daily until the end of December. The scab would come off after a few days, with yellow ooze under it, and the a new one would form.
I stopped soaking it and just checked her once a week. It seems to be doing the same thing, whether I soak it or not.
It comes off, and a new one forms.
Meanwhile she is looking great after her molt, is eating, drinking and being a happy hen.
I still check her once a week to make sure the vent is clear for pooping.

Thank you for the update.

Interesting that this is still going on. There's yellow ooze under the scab and it's still forming...
Have you thought about giving her a round of antibiotics to see if that makes a difference. The ooze is concerning of course, but it also sounds like she's doing well in spite of it all.

 

[WaveyCreekChickens]

Thank you for the update.

Interesting that this is still going on. There's yellow ooze under the scab and it's still forming...
Have you thought about giving her a round of antibiotics to see if that makes a difference. The ooze is concerning of course, but it also sounds like she's doing well in spite of it all.

I haven’t thought of giving her antibiotics. I don’t have chicken specific antibiotics on hand. Is there one you would recommend?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I haven’t thought of giving her antibiotics. I don’t have chicken specific antibiotics on hand. Is there one you would recommend?

Something broad spectrum like Amoxicillin would be good to use.