Swollen vent, clear mucousy discharge, any ideas?

[otis7]

Just got home from work and noticed her bottom was a bit puffy. Picked her up and her vent looks open, but doesn't look like a prolapse, no bright red, just a lot of pink. She has a think clear discharge. Shes acting sick, slow, squinting eyes. I just separated her so I don't know if she's eating and drinking, but she was wandering around the yard with our rooster when I got home. I felt her abdomen and it feels quite empty, no eggs or fluid. I treated with seven dust on Monday, which I've done carefully a handful of times now, not sure if it could be related. We haven't had an egg from her in awhile now but I attributed that to the heat. Any advice appreciated, this little girl was a rescue who took a long time to heal from a badly broken leg. I've only had chickens for about 6 months now and we've lost one to prolapse and one to internal egg laying. Don't know what we are doing wrong. We spend a lot of time caring for our small flock of one roo and 4 hens, end up with much heart break. We don't want to loose our Little too.

 

[Marty1876]

Hi, sorry your hen is ill. I'll help if I can, but can you give me more info?

1. How old is this hen? Laying age, I take it. What variety.

2. How often have you given it seven powder (a poison, btw) and for what reason? It allready sounds like too much too me.

Lets start here. IF you've poisoned the bird, you'll have to get some charcoal down her, which isn't hard, as they treat it like grit. I'd mix it up half and half with her food, and give her about 1/4 c charcoal to 1/4 c food. (you can get charcoal cheap for aquarium filters, and its handly and doesn't go bad). This WILL NOT HURT HER at all, and if she's poisoned, it may save her life. But you MUST HURRY. IF she is refusing to eat, you'll have to run it and a bit of water throught a blendor, and feed with a syringe. I'd give 2 Tb now, and 1 very hours for 4 horus.

Now, if this isn't it, we'll have to explore other options. IS she wormed? Does she free range? Is there a chance she's eaton dead mouse, or other chicken poop? Coccidiosis maybe. How is her neck? Is she getting weaker? IS she drooling, or is mucus coming from her beak?

I'll check back.

 

[otis7]

Thank you for the response. Little is an Americana, she is around a year old.

We debated the 7 dust for while, but our lice problem was bad and our old rescue hen was suffering greatly. We treated with a couple 7 dustings, aggressive coup cleaning and lots of De. They have access to a de and dirt dust bath during the day in their run and then they free range the yard when we get home from the work. I found lice on them Monday and decided to treat them. We don't have mice in the house, but it's always possible she could have gotten into something in the yard. I haven't seen any diarrhea yet, no poop at all yet. She picked at some sun flower seeds.

I have some old aquarium filters so I will do that as soon as I get off here.

She does not seem weak, she's crying to go back out side. No drooling or mucous, and still quite active and talkative. She isn't wormed, but do have a bottle of coccidiosus treatment and wormer I bought when our old hen was sick, never used them though as I found the lice. Her neck seems straight and normal, no drooping except for an occasional wince where she squints her eyes.

 

[Marty1876]

I would expect this hen to be laying 4 or more times per week, unless shes starting to moult.

It doesn't sound likes shes really suffering, so I'd go ahead with the mix of charcoal and a favorite food, just to be safe as no harm will be done her. Keep her seperate for a day or two anyway, with small flocks every bird counts, and you must not risk the others. I've known them to go though odd phases, and perk right back up. Perhpas she has something but her immune system is working well.

NO MORE SEVEN POWDER for another few weeks. You must not overdose on accident.

Now then, as for the the lice, if you have a small flock, washing each birds with a good soaping will wash away many verman, and a nice coating of veggie oil on the roosts will kill lice and eggs both. They suffocate, and its very much more gentle for your birds. You eat these eggs, don't poison yourelf.

Please PM me if there are any changes at all. IN the meantime, lots of fresh water, her favorite food with a nice charcoal cocktail blened in, and a quiet night may set her to rights. I'll be on until about 11 pm, with a few moments off to do chores.

 

[snowflake]

Marty is giving very good advice. you may also try worming with Ivermecton, it kills mites aswell as worms and if you have rescue chicks they could very well have been infected when you got them. according to the vets at MSU Ivermecton is safe for chickens and you do not need to toss the eggs.

 

[welasharon]

If the discharge is sickly sweet smelling and sticky then you need to look at vent gleet.