What causes vent to contract continually?

[Esmeralda]

Two days ago I picked up free hens from a Kijiji ad ... nothing is free! Yesterday I isolated the hen that has a very red, swollen poopy bottom. Her vent is continually contracting and I thought that her abdomen was quite firm. The previous ower said that none of the hens were laying anymore (about 2 years old) but said they were in good health when I picked them up.
My first guess was egg binding, so she was brought in last night, given a warm bath, dried and put in a nesting box (in the laundry room) with a heat lamp. In the morning she was eating and drinking well and poop looked normal for a chicken. (did not see any worms).
I gave her an electrolye solution to drink and poured some over the layers pellets and also added some egg shell dust to the food. This afternoon I picked up some liquid calcium and also put it in her food ... but white liquid is still running from her bottom and her vent is still very red, sore and swollen and contracting.
I did let her out for a while with the other hens, just to help her integrate into the flock and be able to strech and move.
I am not sure what to do next?????

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm not at all an expert on this, but it sounds like she may have vent gleet or possibly a reproductive tract infection from E.Coli. http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html

 

[realsis]

Ihttp://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html?m=1s the liquid diarrhea or is it possisble she has vent gleet? If her vent red and swollen that's another possibility. Or the diarrhea could be making it irritated. take a look at this link to rule out gleet. Have you tried giving probotics for her diarrhea? I use probios and it works wonderfully. Here is that link for
gleet

 

[realsis]

Sorry eggsessive you beat me to it we must have been writing at the same time and we offered the same link! Lol

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is an interesting link with some similar symptoms: http://www.raising-chickens.org/blood-and-liquid-coming-from-vent-.html

 

[seminolewind]

Vents do the continually contracting thing. I don't know why.

 

[Esmeralda]

Thank you for your information ... the more I read the more I think it may be vent gleet...
What I have read on vent gleet, doesn't mention that the vent will continue to contract all day, and she is still passing "normal" poop for a chicken in addition to what is running down her butt. Happily - I don't have a great sense of smell, but her poop and her butt doesn't smell any different than the other chicken's poop.
I am a new "crazy chicken lady", and in spite of the fact that much of my day has been about poop, I really love these creatures and do not want to cull them as some of the sites have suggested.

 

[Esmeralda]

Is it possible she has vent gleet and egg bound together?
She is drinking an electrolyte solution in case she is calcium deficient (causing egg bound??), But would you put apple cider vinegar in the elecrolyte solution in case it is vent gleet?
I will also buy plain yogurt first thing in the morning, as it can't hurt...

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote: Try to remember that chickens are not human. Their vents do this pulsation thing 24/7, yours and mine .... at least mine not so much.

At two years old she should likely still lay you a couple of breakfasts worth of eggs every week. At least after the molt. The white stuff is likely the urine portion of her droppings, aggravated by all the electrolytes.

Good luck.

 

[Esmeralda]

Thank you. I did not give any more electrolytes and I did give everyone (all the hens, my dog, the cat, and myself) yogurt.
The "sick" hen seems quite perky today and she's a loudest one of the bunch. My next problem is going to be bylaw police if she continues squawking so loudly!