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

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the photos.

I agree, it's probably hardened tissue from prolapse. The only thing you can usually do is to keep working on her like you've been doing. If she does get a vet visit, they may debride it to get more of that off.

 

[LittleMoss]

Thanks so much for all your help and support! We are pretty sure she has laid an egg this morning. There is a small amount of orange-brown staining on it, which is the same colour as some discoloration that we've noticed next to poop on their bedding recently. She still seems pretty happy. I read somewhere about putting honey on - I guess that's because it's a natural antibiotic? I don't want to attract flies etc to her rear end!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks so much for all your help and support! We are pretty sure she has laid an egg this morning. There is a small amount of orange-brown staining on it, which is the same colour as some discoloration that we've noticed next to poop on their bedding recently. She still seems pretty happy. I read somewhere about putting honey on - I guess that's because it's a natural antibiotic? I don't want to attract flies etc to her rear end!

It's good that she is still laying and seems happy

Some people do use honey on prolapsed,swollen and exposed tissue to help heal and keep the tissue moist. I agree, it may attract flies if she is outside, it would probably be better to use ointment instead.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks so much for all your help and support! We are pretty sure she has laid an egg this morning. There is a small amount of orange-brown staining on it, which is the same colour as some discoloration that we've noticed next to poop on their bedding recently. She still seems pretty happy. I read somewhere about putting honey on - I guess that's because it's a natural antibiotic? I don't want to attract flies etc to her rear end!

I’d be a bit scared of the honey too personally, but have read that lots of people use it. So I can’t really advise on that.

Is she eating and drinking well? Does she seem to be staying clean back there now?

 

[LittleMoss]

She seems to be eating and drinking well. Her rear end is looking slightly messy again today, but not too bad. We are going to give her another bath this afternoon. Please could you tell me if you use any particular ointment? Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She seems to be eating and drinking well. Her rear end is looking slightly messy again today, but not too bad. We are going to give her another bath this afternoon. Please could you tell me if you use any particular ointment? Thanks.

You can use just about anything. A little Vaseline, A+D ointment, coconut oil or hemorrhoid cream - whatever you have on hand to moisturize and help loosen that crust.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Keep us posted.

 

[LittleMoss]

Just to let you know, we took Ginger to the vet's on Friday afternoon. He cleaned away the scabby stuff and showed me that there were some pink innards protruding underneath. He said it was a partial prolapse. He cleaned out her rear end and pushed the innards back inside. Innards sounds horrible, but I can't think of a better word! When he examined her internally, he said she has polyps there, which were rather inflamed.
He's given her some antibiotics to dissolve in her water and told me to put apple cider vinegar in as well. He also said to mix her food with olive oil, so that it will slip through the system better. I thought she wouldn't like that, but she seems quite happy with it!
He did say to separate her, as "hens will peck at anything" and even though we never saw the other hen that was with her peck at her rear end, Ginger is definitely looking a little more feathery now that she's by herself for a while!
I also changed her bedding - I've been using sawdust recently, as there was a straw shortage in the UK, due to an unusually hot dry summer. While I was trying to get her set up in quarantine, I saw her eating the fresh dry sawdust, which can't be good for a hen whose insides are supposed to be well-lubricated! So at the moment, she has an old folded sheet as bedding, which I keep changing over and washing.
She's still laying, but we're not eating the eggs because of the antibiotics. She laid a soft egg today though.
She's due back at the vet's on Wednesday. She still seems amazingly happy

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well...AWSOME. Glad you found a vet that knows chickens. And yes the sawdust is not a good thing. I would of never thought to ask that when someone presents a situation like you had. So thank you I learned something new today. Sounds like Ginger has the best care possible. You did great! Thanks for the update. We’re still pulling for you and Ginger.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just to let you know, we took Ginger to the vet's on Friday afternoon. He cleaned away the scabby stuff and showed me that there were some pink innards protruding underneath. He said it was a partial prolapse. He cleaned out her rear end and pushed the innards back inside. Innards sounds horrible, but I can't think of a better word! When he examined her internally, he said she has polyps there, which were rather inflamed.
He's given her some antibiotics to dissolve in her water and told me to put apple cider vinegar in as well. He also said to mix her food with olive oil, so that it will slip through the system better. I thought she wouldn't like that, but she seems quite happy with it!
He did say to separate her, as "hens will peck at anything" and even though we never saw the other hen that was with her peck at her rear end, Ginger is definitely looking a little more feathery now that she's by herself for a while!
I also changed her bedding - I've been using sawdust recently, as there was a straw shortage in the UK, due to an unusually hot dry summer. While I was trying to get her set up in quarantine, I saw her eating the fresh dry sawdust, which can't be good for a hen whose insides are supposed to be well-lubricated! So at the moment, she has an old folded sheet as bedding, which I keep changing over and washing.
She's still laying, but we're not eating the eggs because of the antibiotics. She laid a soft egg today though.
She's due back at the vet's on Wednesday. She still seems amazingly happy

Glad to hear you were able to see the vet and get things straightened out!
It sounds like she is make a lot of progress! Thank you for the update.