Strange object from pullets bum - pictures **Final UPDATE post #37**

TimeMist

In the Brooder
11 Years
Sep 23, 2008
89
1
29
New Zealand
Hi all, my sick bird Buttercup is a brown shaver, approx 20 months old (don't know weight at present sorry) She was a battery hen until 15 months old. Someone else owned her for those next 4 months then sold her (and some others) onto me. We have had her for 4 weeks. All of my hens do lay jumbo sized eggs at between 72 -78g each.

She has been a little off colour for a couple of days, is not eating her laying pellets and grain but will pick at grass etc. She also likes to bask in the sun rather than move around a lot. Puffing her feathers up and appearing to keep warm although it's warm weather here is another sign.

Her crop also appeared full this moring even after no food, so I wondered if she was not able to pass things out of her crop.

Her bowel motions have been runny and yesterday afternoon appeared to be slightly foamy. Thinking she might be wormy I gave her some crushed sunflower seeds (can't get buttermilk here) and this morning was off to the vets to get some proper de-wormer.

I checked the hen before I went and she had something hanging from here rear end, attached by a white tube like structure slighly smaller in diameter to a pencil. My first though was tape worm or some type of worm then I saw a medium sized greyish type sack and though maybe prolapse.

I read up here about prolase and went out to wash the possible prolase thing to see if I could get a better idea what it was. I was not able to find a picture of a chicken prolapse so couldn't identify it that way. Anyway when I gently washed the thing hanging out it just fell off leaving the tube like structure still hanging out slightly from inside her..

So I have kept the hen separated her from the other hens. I have also taken pictures of the thing that fell off. Being very new to hen keeping I have no idea what this thing is.

If this was a prolapse and it's just fallen away what will happen to her? Do I need to dispatch her so to speak?

There is a blue pencil in the picture for size comparrison.
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DSCF3764.jpg


This is the underside of the thing. There appears to be a hole that goes inside it. The greeny coloured part is just a bit of poo.
DSCF3765.jpg


Can anyone please help?
 
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Oh geeze has just been doing some searches on this site about prolapses. Is this the structure that should be just inside where the poo comes out of? But it's become dried out then fell off? Oh no if yes then it's curtains for my poor Buttercup isn't it
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I am so sorry that I can't help you out. I just wanted to say that there is someone out here reading this and will be saying big prayers for your sweet Buttercup. Wish I could help.
 
Thanks both of you. I'm still looking on this site for pictures to help me out, but I have a sinking feeling that is can't be good. If it's a tape worm or some worm it's a darn strange one. I went out to check her and the little bit of tube that was sticking out a little has come out.
 
The hole in it might be a clue as to what it is. I think there is a doctor on this forum who may be able to help us figure this out. In the mean time, I will try to do some online research as well. Poor Buttercup.
 
I forget what they are called, but instead of passing an egg, layers of junk got formed into that and she probably was stressing and straining to pass it for many days since unlike a hard smooth egg, it can get stuck along the way. It doesn't look like a part of her, just a product from her rather. Lots of reproductive issues can occur with hens bred to just lay eggs, especially when doing so under intensive conditions. She probably feels better now it is out, but there could be more in her, and some of them could be falling into her adbomen. A prolaps would look soft, mushy and tissue like with veins and all. One of those can be massaged back inside with some prep h with ONLY witchhazel (other ingredients can be toxic). Best of luck with her!
 
Thanks so much for both your replies.

You are right there are no vein like structures, only that white tube that went from the main structure to inside her, and that strange hole on the bottom.

Shall I disect the object so that we have a cross section, would that aid diagnosis?

I'm just so pleased it's not likely to be any internal structure. I shall keep you all posted.

Many many thanks.

Pip
 

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