Vent Gleet

[MHAWKINS]

Help! One of my chickens has a really bad case of vent gleet. Being a chicken rookie, I don’t think I’ve caught it in time, and I’m afraid I’m going to loose her. She’s lethargic and can’t walk. I can’t get her in to a vet until Sunday as no vets local see chickens. I’m doing the baths, coconut oil on vent and red area, ACV in water by syringe and yogurt. We’ve determined the reason for getting it because now my other 7 are getting symptoms. It’s a compost bin they’ve been getting into, I believe. Other than getting Nystatin from a vet, should I be doing anything else? I’m treating the whole flock now and this has been a nightmare. I feel horrible for not catching it sooner. Please give me your thoughts and prayers. All the other chickens are acting healthy and laying, but butts are red loosing feathers and slight discharge. Also, should we throw the eggs out or are they safe to eat? Sorry for the lengthy post, just freaking out and need some affirmation I’m doing the right thing.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[micstrachan]

Hmmm... someone else here has experience with chickens getting sick from a compost pile. Antibiotics were administered and saved the hen. I think it was @casportpony or possibly @azygous .

 

[dawg53]

This link might help:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vent-gleet

 

[azygous]

If your chickens have vent gleet, it's probably just coincidental to a bacterial infection or toxic mold exposure from the compost. Vent gleet normally doesn't make a chicken so sick they can't walk, and probiotics and an anti-yeast medicine usually clears it up.

You need to administer a broad spectrum antibiotic such as amoxicillin 250mg immediately to all affected chickens.

Yes, I had chickens sicken and die from moldy squash I had been putting into my compost pile. I thought I had safely dug it way under to the bottom so it would decompose before it became a danger to the chickens. I hadn't counted on the stellar excavating abilities of Cream Legbars who will keep going to China if they could.

Disposing of spoiled food in compost piles is something I no longer do when chicken are in the picture.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks, @azygous .
@MHAWKINS I am wondering how you know vent gleet is the correct diagnosis? I was told it can be caused by other things besides fungus. I’m not sure which cause is most common. Can you post a photo of her vent?

 

[micstrachan]

Not sure I asked the right question. I think you would need her tested to know the cause of the vent gleet. Do you know what type of infection it is?

 

[micstrachan]

Found these articles on the subject, as so don’t have experience with it myself and want to be prepared. They may be helpful for others following the thread or looking for vent gleet information.
http://www.birdhealth.com.au/vent-gleet

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vent-gleet

 

[micstrachan]

Ops. I see @dawg53 already posted one of them. Good luck. Gotta get ready for work now.

 

[azygous]

Here's another very clear article on identifying and treating vent gleet. https://thefrugalchicken.com/vent-gleet-identifying-treating/

It sounds to me like the discharge our OP is seeing in her hens is from a bacterial infection. Of course, it's possible to have both bacterial and yeast infections going on simultaneously. In that case, I would treat with the antibiotic first, knocking out the bacterial infection, for that one can kill.

The antibiotic may aggravate the yeast infection for the time being, but after the hen is feeling better, you can then go back with an anti-yeast medication and target the yeast. Meanwhile, administering a probiotic may help to mitigate the worst effects of the yeast.