URGENT! 3 hen have bright red blood around the vent

[youcancallmeAl]

Today I noticed 3 of my Red sex link hens, who are about 7 months old with bright red blood, as if they were having a period! They all are laying well, very energenic, eating well. The only difference is the weather, it has gotten cold, freezing this morning. They are kept in their insulated hen house with a heat lamp,but are allowed out during the day in their pen. I don't want to clean them with water as it is so cold but I probably need too? What is going on? Help!
Nancy
In northern Ontario, Canada

 

[anderson8505]

Loose poop too? Infectious bursal disease, rotaviral enteritis, vent picking? Experienced people? any advice? Separate from older/larger birds put that blue stuff on it to prevent further picking?

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Do you know the precise nature of the problem? I immediately thought vent-picking, which can be caused by a lot of things. Often birds get bored (especially when they crowd into the coop or pen in the colder weather), and picking results. If this appears to be the cause, you'll need to isolate and treat your bloody ones - clean them up with a damp cloth & then if there is an open wound, spray blue-kote on it (turns wounds blue and discourages picking while the wound heals). Check your picked hens to make sure there is no serious injury, such as exposed vent tissue. You may need to have them out for only a few days or maybe a week or more if there's some real damage. When it comes time to return the picked ones to the flock, make sure there is a distraction in place (a head of lettuce, a half-head of cabbage, something that will interest the birds and give them something else to peck at). Hope this helps!

 

[Tracy the chick]

You could try " Anti-Pecking spray" it tastes horrible so to encourage pecking.. Not sure about putting it on open wounds mind, you would have to read up on that.. Hope you find out whats wrong...xx

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Thanks for the help. I am thinking hemorrhoids? Sounds silly but, because they are now in their pen all day and not allowed to roam on the property I have been feeling sorry for them and feeding them bread, and I noticed their outside water has ice in the water, and the it is cold enough to snow, that's enough to give me hemorroids! Seems strange that 3 have the same thing.

 

[augiedranch]

Did you ever find out what happened? I oddly enough have a red star, 7 months old, and it's been very cold the past few days. With bright red blood all over her vent area.