Vent issues-help!

[acable88]

My 7mo Speckled Sussex was standing hunched, fluffed out, and very inactive this am. I separated her out and checked her vent and found a mass of poo.

I soaked her bum for about 30min and loosened it up as best I could. Her cloaca is very red, swollen, and open. I have offered her some electrolyte/probiotic water. What else, if anything, can I do? I feel awful-I have been sick myself all week and feel like had I been paying better attention it wouldn’t be so bad. The yellow circled part is the opening, no elasticity whatsoever.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she had a prolapse that has been pecked? Is the tissue dark or is that her normal skin color? Has she been laying eggs normally? Do you know if she has been low in pecking order or been bullied? Keep her separated, keep her vent clean, and I would spray it with chlorhexidene, Vetericyn, or saline. Then when dry, apply plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment 2-3 times a day. Has she been eating or drinking, or has she had any droppings?

 

[Eggcessive]

Her vent looks very damaged, and I would not be surprised if you lose her. I hope not, but when vents are cannibalized by other chickens or by a predator, this can happen. Warm soaks in epsom salts or chlorhexidene water may be helpful, but baths when chickens are this ill can push them over the edge and they can die. Spraying the vent area with chlorhexidene or Vetericyn may be less harsh. Let us know how she gets along. Offering water and wet muchsy chicken feed with a little scrambled egg or tuna would be good to get her nourishment.

 

[acable88]

Has she had a prolapse that has been pecked? Is the tissue dark or is that her normal skin color? Has she been laying eggs normally? Do you know if she has been low in pecking order or been bullied? Keep her separated, keep her vent clean, and I would spray it with chlorhexidene, Vetericyn, or saline. Then when dry, apply plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment 2-3 times a day. Has she been eating or drinking, or has she had any droppings?

No prolapse. The tissue is dark, her skin is very pink normally-this looks very bruised. Has been laying normally. She is fairly low in pecking order but they had been leaving her alone until today. She did drink when I first separated her, but later she threw up all the water, no food intake that I saw. No droppings, but she did have some that came out after her bath, very loose. She is sleeping now.

 

[acable88]

Her vent looks very damaged, and I would not be surprised if you lose her. I hope not, but when vents are cannibalized by other chickens or by a predator, this can happen. Warm soaks in epsom salts or chlorhexidene water may be helpful, but baths when chickens are this ill can push them over the edge and they can die. Spraying the vent area with chlorhexidene or Vetericyn may be less harsh. Let us know how she gets along. Offering water and wet muchsy chicken feed with a little scrambled egg or tuna would be good to get her nourishment.

I lost her this evening. I just found her too late.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. I would watch them over the next week or so to make sure they are not vent pecking or picking on each other. Overcrowding, too little protein, or boredom from not getting out to free range can be some of the possible causes.