Bloody vent - prolapse

[labradors]

I've been getting some bloody eggs recently and yesterday, Isobel stayed on the roost at feeding time mid-afternoon! When I checked, her vent was very bloody. Everyone had laid an egg, so it wasn't an impacted egg. I could see something sticking out of her vent, but it had gone in the next time I examined her. I read up on the subject of Prolapse.

She is in a dog crate in the basement with water and no food. I have read to starve the poor things for 24 hours and keep them in a dark room to prevent laying.

We gave her a bath and hubby said she looked like the web pictures of prolapse. We dried her. He put Prep H on her and pushed it in. I got to hold her and to not see what was going on very well .

My questions are, how long should we keep her in the dog crate, when can I feed her again and how long should it take before she can go back with the others? We examined her this morning and she's not bleeding, just a bit yucky and in need of another clean-up. I gave her some Dandelion greens.

Thanks,
Linda

[Happy]

Is the “yucky” or ?
I had one prolapse a few years back and it took a few days of prep h and pushing it back in before it stayed in. Every time she pooped it would come back out. Do you smell anything off? Like rotting? I didn’t with hold food or water but did keep her in a dim room. If I remember correctly she did continue to lay eggs but stopped for a few weeks after she went back outside. I hope she heals quickly!

[Happy]

Meant to ask-what Bree’s is Isobel?

[labradors]

Thanks Happy. There is hope then :).

Isobel (named after my MIL because she is bossy) is a Red Sexlink, and her vent was just poopy. I really hope that the fast and darkness will stop her from laying, but maybe it takes a while to stop the engines. She's stinky, but I think/hope it's just a chicken smell.

Linda

[Killerbunny]

Be very careful no flies lay eggs on her vent. nasty because they become infested with maggots.

[Farrier1987]

Old trick my dad used to do with a cow prolapse was dust it with icing sugar before putting it back in. The osmosis shrinks it up some and makes it easier to go back in place, and the sugar syrup is also an antibacterial. You might give this a try if it comes out again.

[labradors]

Thanks for the info KB and Farrier. Icing sugar indeed :)

She laid an egg late this morning . She didn't look too bad afterwards and we cleaned her up and put her back in the dog crate.......

Linda

[Kbr42]

It took me about 2 weeks for my banty frizzle to heal well enough for her to go back outside. I tell you, it gives new meaning to 'chicken keeping ' when dealing with a prolapse.
I'll never forget going into No Frills to get the prep h, cause the humans in the house had been bitten alive with about 100 tiny bug bites. So, not only did I need prep h but also anti itchy cream. The look on the persons face that rang me througb..she took a step back! I still laugh about that one.

I didn't without hold food but I didn't give her any treats either.

Good luck!

[labradors]

Thanks Kbr42. I hope it won't take two weeks! Funny about the Prep H and anti-itch cream :)

Isobel laid an egg this morning and it looked pretty good, only a faint smear of blood. Her back end looked bloodless, although there is a black bit at the top of the vent that could not be removed by gentle sponging yesterday. Anyway, I felt so sorry for her having to be confined to the kennel that I took her back to the coop this morning and put her inside. She walked out onto the grass, and the others seemed happy to see her. I noticed that she received two pecks to her rear She went back into the coop and up on the perch. The others followed and one went up on the perch with her and I saw her head going towards Isobel's rear. With that, everyone was asked to leave, and Isobel is now confined to the coop and is still on the perch.

Has she lost her pecking position already? Why would they go for her rear? Any advice on what to do next?

Linda

[Happy]

Couple things I would do. I’m sure you’ve had a good inspection for bugs whilst doing all of this butt cleaning but I’d look again to be 100%. A scab on the vent is either from bugs or pecks (or both because the other chickens are pecking at bugs) If bug free then the others are looking for that tasty blood that they know was there before ( I know...) so a squirt of that lovely purple stuff that I’ve completely forgot the name of or a spot where they can see but not touch while she heals may be in order. If they peck her and cause her to bleed again they can be relentless so be careful. Also do be really careful of flystrike as KB mentioned. A wound on her vent is very susceptible and it happens fast. I’d be tempted to leave her inside another few days tbh.