Vent gleet?

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Need some advice. Hen is in solitary, with our roo.



Already added some ACV to her water and gave her some yogurt. We also rinsed her off.

She has been doing this for months now. Seems to clear up some and then back. Only one having that. She’s real lethargic acting this afternoon though. Which is why we checked her.
She’s almost a year or is a year old.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When was the last time she laid an egg?
Has she been dewormed?
What do you feed, including treats?
Crop emptying?

If she's lethargic, wash her up really well and make sure there's no maggots under all of the stuck on poop. While you're at it, look her over well for lice or mites, feel the abdomen for bloat or fluid. If she's not been laying eggs, then get extra calcium into her. Calcium Citrate with D3 is good to give, just pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow. Work on hydration, then offer her a bit of food.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

When was the last time she laid an egg?

Have no idea. I have 13 hens. All that lay a variation of a brown egg, except one I think. (I have one hen, a cuckoo maran who hasn't layed since Fall. She was sporadic back then. I'm thinking bad genes on her. She was a runt as a baby.)

Has she been dewormed?

No, we don't have never wormed them. (There has not been worms in poop either though.)

What do you feed, including treats?

Layer feed, or chick starter. No treats other than occasional table scraps or garden scraps.

Crop emptying?

Unsure there. As stated she's been fine up until I noticed her being lethargic yesterday.

If she's lethargic, wash her up really well and make sure there's no maggots under all of the stuck on poop. While you're at it, look her over well for lice or mites, feel the abdomen for bloat or fluid. If she's not been laying eggs, then get extra calcium into her. Calcium Citrate with D3 is good to give, just pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow. Work on hydration, then offer her a bit of food.

Did not see any maggots on her at all. Nor lice or mites. I check for those periodically. (They also have a specific dust bath area.)
She ate the yogurt fine. Not sure if she's drinking. I assume so. She's not panting or any visible distress.
She's currently in the crate with the rooster. (He's being confined because he's damaging the feathers of 2 other hens.)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She may do better being housed by herself.

I'd work on hydration, if you need to, syringe or tube fluids into her.
Offer wet feed. I'd consider getting some calcium into her and deworm her.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

She may do better being housed by herself.

I'd work on hydration, if you need to, syringe or tube fluids into her.
Offer wet feed. I'd consider getting some calcium into her and deworm her.

She’s now alone. Caught the roo mating her so quickly tossed his butt in the smaller cage.
That way I can monitor her food and water intake also.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Update:
Turns out she is egg bound. Pretty bad. And with holding food was a mistake. Because she is pretty weak.
We spent hours this afternoon tryin to help her. Epsom soak, coconut oil, trying to help her ease the egg out. What we can tell she has at least 2 eggs bound up in her.

It is in God’s hands now. She either passes the eggs, or passes herself. She’s got food and water in a larger crate. We gave her electrolytes, probiotics. Some honey to boost her energy. She ate a couple pieces of grass.

We had no calcium tablets or tums to give her.
Will grab some for going forward.

Stressing afternoon. Prayers be great for us and the hen. Her name is Penguin.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I hope Penguin pulls through.

If you can get some Calcium or Tums into her this may help her expel the egg(s).

Keep working on hydration and offer some wet feed. Keep me posted on how she's doing.

If she's not been laying eggs, then get extra calcium into her. Calcium Citrate with D3 is good to give, just pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow. Work on hydration, then offer her a bit of food.

I'd work on hydration, if you need to, syringe or tube fluids into her.
Offer wet feed. I'd consider getting some calcium into her

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

I hope Penguin pulls through.

If you can get some Calcium or Tums into her this may help her expel the egg(s).

Keep working on hydration and offer some wet feed. Keep me posted on how she's doing.

We were syringing liquid into her when working with her. Her crop actually went from empty to more full because of the liquid so I know that she at least isn't dehydrating.
I go to town tomorrow & will get one of those to help if it's not to late for her.

She wasn't interested in much food at all. She was just wanting to sleep toward the end. We finally just set her in the grass in the sun & she slept for a bit. She'd wake up & walk a bit then just stand there. Will update ya.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Update:
She’s still alive. She’s had another epsom soak and I gave her a 1000mg calcium antacid. But still no egg.

Anything else we should do? Maybe another calcium? I also bought calcium citrate vitamins. Should I give one of them?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd give her Calcium once daily.

Soaking is fine as long as she's tolerating it and not too lethargic.

You feel like there's 2 eggs? Where are you feeling them, inside the vent, down low under the vent?
She may have some lash material she's trying to expel or it's possible that what you are feeling is an internally laid egg, tumor or even the gizzard depending on the location.

If she pooping at all?