What's wrong with this hen's vent please?

[LittleMoss]

Hi,
Could anybody tell me what is wrong with this hen's vent please? As you can hopefully see, it's not got many feathers on, and the feathers that are there are stuck together, and there are some droppings stuck to her rear end. She seems quite happy though.
Another hen in our little flock died a week ago, but was clearly unhappy at the bottom of the pecking order, having lost her friend who had gone off to another coop to hatch eggs and raise chicks. That hen didn't appear to have any problems with her rear end!
Thanks for your help!

 

[Chickens :)]

She may have a prolapsed vent I am not sure. Hopefully someone here is able to tell you what is going on with your chook. All I can suggest is keep her vent clean and possibly iscolate her from the others because sometimes the chickens will peck at it. Give her a warm bath and keep in mind you may have to do this a few times. Does her vent seem to be annoying her or giving her pain?

Best of luck

 

[Shadrach]

Hi,
Could anybody tell me what is wrong with this hen's vent please? As you can hopefully see, it's not got many feathers on, and the feathers that are there are stuck together, and there are some droppings stuck to her rear end. She seems quite happy though.
Another hen in our little flock died a week ago, but was clearly unhappy at the bottom of the pecking order, having lost her friend who had gone off to another coop to hatch eggs and raise chicks. That hen didn't appear to have any problems with her rear end!
Thanks for your help!

Could you take a better picture please. Close up from more than one angle.

If that is feaces around the vent could you clean that off before you take a better picture.

 

[LittleMoss]

Thanks for your replies. It doesn't seem to be bothering her at all so far. We will bathe her a little later, when my husband is around to help, and then we will post some better photos.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, give her a soaking and remove what looks like hardened poop. Inspect the vent for a prolapse.

Do you have a rooster?

While you are at it, feel that abdomen (red arrow). It's hard to tell in the photos but it looks a bit distended. What does that feel like - hard, soft, squishy, fluid filled, etc.
When was the last time this hen laid an egg?
Look her over really well for lice and mites too.

The other girl in the photo - her crop looks to be quite red, you may want to check her over as well.

 

[WVduckchick]

I agree with the others. Would like to add a question. Do they have a rooster? Is he "abusive"? They look a bit rough.

Some breeds do have more of a tendency of poop sticking to their rear feathers, and will pick at it themselves, causing the redness and feather loss. But I would definitely suspect some type of mites/lice or possibly fly strike. Get her cleaned up and see what's going on. They usually enjoy a little bath time anyway.

Good luck!

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Following

 

[Shadrach]

I agree with the others. Would like to add a question. Do they have a rooster? Is he "abusive"? They look a bit rough.

Some breeds do have more of a tendency of poop sticking to their rear feathers, and will pick at it themselves, causing the redness and feather loss. But I would definitely suspect some type of mites/lice or possibly fly strike. Get her cleaned up and see what's going on. They usually enjoy a little bath time anyway.

Good luck!

Early stage of fly strike was my first thought but there is no way of telling from that picture.
However, if it is fly strike then there is a wound of some sort there I would have thought.
The feather loss could be a number of things a lice problem might encourage feather picking in this area but once again a better picture is needed for anyone to make an informed judgement.

 

[LittleMoss]

Hi, thanks for all your replies, we really appreciate it. We don't have a rooster. Not sure why the hens are looking rough at the moment They had already gone into roost when my husband got home, but we got Ginger out and bathed her vent a little. I'm afraid we haven't got all the feaces off yet, but I will post a few more photos now in case they are of any use. Hopefully we'll bathe her properly tomorrow and post more photos then.
Sorry I haven't felt her abdomen yet, I hadn't read your posts when we had a look at her.
I cleaned their coop out at the weekend, and there doesn't seem to be any sign of mite at the moment.
I've started giving them some minerals with probiotics and seaweed today and also Vermex (UK anti-worming pellets). I've put apple cider vinegar in their water too.
Anyway, here are some photos, sorry if they're not clear enough yet. I held her while my husband tried to bathe her a little. We're not had a problem like this before even though we've been keeping a few hens for several years now. My husband did wonder if it was prolapsed vent though - the part near the top which is still rather caked-up felt to him as if it might be out of place?
I'm wondering if it would be best to take her to the vet tomorrow?

 

[LittleMoss]

I forgot to say, we're pretty sure she is laying well at the moment and despite looking rather rough, she does seem happy...