Vent Gleet? Prolapse? Very sick chicken

[Zoek3]

We've had a small flock in our backyard for several years.
Our third chicken passed suddenly this winter and we're down to two.
Suddenly today, one of our ladies was sitting in one spot all puffed up. When we picked her up, she had an awful looking rear-area. It (the vent) is protruded and looks like it has been bleeding. It is full of excrement that I tried to remove, but I didn't want to hurt her. While she was being held while I did this, fluid came out of her beak. We've had one other chicken with a stopped crop before who died, but it was a different situation without the vent business. I'm afraid it could be vent gleet that has caused a blockage all the way to her crop, but it could also be an impacted egg, which I know kills very fast. I'm going to bring her in and bathe her and keep her warm and such, but I don't want to treat for something that isn't the cause. Any help?

 

[hiddenflock]

If the vent is protruding- as in, the actual cent hanging out of the bum- then that is a prolapse. If it is, take it to a vet immediately if you can. The vet would push the vent back in and, in our case- it was with a duck- prescribed antibiotics for diarrhea, because that's what it was for our duck. If you've ruled out egg binding and vent fleet, diarrhea is a real possibility.

 

[hiddenflock]

GLEET not fleet

 

[Zoek3]

Ok, it was definitely a prolapse. I couldn't clean it up as much as I wanted to. We can't take her to a vet because my family generally doesn't do vet stuff for chickens; my parents say it's not worth it. I am keeping her in a carrier inside. I want to use honey and help the tissue get back in (I've heard honey works similarly to preparation h to shrink the tissue) but there is a lot of poop that I can't get out and I don't know how to use my fingers to help her pass it completely, so I can't get it clean enough. I feel horrible, but in this situation I'm not sure I'm skilled enough to keep her from dying. I will check on her in the morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

We've had a small flock in our backyard for several years.
Our third chicken passed suddenly this winter and we're down to two.
Suddenly today, one of our ladies was sitting in one spot all puffed up. When we picked her up, she had an awful looking rear-area. It (the vent) is protruded and looks like it has been bleeding. It is full of excrement that I tried to remove, but I didn't want to hurt her. While she was being held while I did this, fluid came out of her beak. We've had one other chicken with a stopped crop before who died, but it was a different situation without the vent business. I'm afraid it could be vent gleet that has caused a blockage all the way to her crop, but it could also be an impacted egg, which I know kills very fast. I'm going to bring her in and bathe her and keep her warm and such, but I don't want to treat for something that isn't the cause. Any help?

Welcome to BYC. It sounds as if she has had a prolapsed vent which can happen when egg bound or when she has passed too large an egg and it has damaged the cloaca. The area needs to be cleaned off quickly, lubricant or honey applied (honey can shrink the tissue), and the prolapsed tissue needs to be pushed back inside. Yes this hurts, but the hen can die. Feel inside with a glove on for an egg. try to slide it out if there is one. Calcium ( a Tums or calcium tablet) should be given if she is egg bound. Other chickens will peck at a prolapse, so that is why it may have been bloody. Honey or Preparation H can be used on the prolapse, but it may keep coming out for a day or two, especially if she lays an egg or poops. Placing her in a covered cage for 16 hours a day, and reduce her feed a bit, but not water, will help her to stop laying in a few days. Here is some info: http://www.avianweb.com/Prolapse.htm

 

[Eggcessive]

If you want to save her, you need to soak her bottom tonight and try to scrub off the poop. Get lubricant (KY Jelly,) honey, or even soapy water, and try to push it back in. If it dries out or it swells it will not go back in, and the tissue will die. Then you will need to put her down.

 

[Zoek3]

I know but I just spent a very long time trying to get it clean and I can't get all of the excrement/blood off. It might be worth mentioning that I am 17 and I'm not very experienced with this sort of stuff. I know what to do in theory now that I've done some research but it is significantly harder in practice. It seems that there is excrement inside some of the tissue and she becomes very distressed when I try to probe it to get it off. Suggestions?

 

[Eggcessive]

Epsom salts in the water may help get some of the poop off her. It also may soothe her to bathe in it. Some help with an extra pair of hands might be good. This is a tough thing to takle on your own. Here is another good link about it: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html

 

[Zoek3]

I tried the warm bath but she would have none of it, and I didn't want her flapping and being distressed and hurting herself more. I cleaned her as best I could with a warm wet rag and gloves, but I am afraid to probe around sort of inside her with a glove because I don't want to injure her further, so I can't clean her all the way. That's the problem. If I could get everything clean and help her pass the rest of whatever is swollen inside of her, it would be a lot less daunting to push the tissue back in.

 

[Zoek3]

To add: she is a rather flighty chicken and the blanket over the head and body method didn't work. My dad held her for me while I cleaned, but as I said, I was not totally successful. We are not able to take her to a vet even to have her put down because my parents won't pay for it, and I'm not even sure our vet works with chickens. This is rather distressing.