Can we talk about chicken butts?

[SKR8PN]

I have one hen that laid a MONSTER egg a few weeks back. I noticed this evening that she had an accumulation of poop around her hind end. I grabbed her and held her while the wife did a trim job and cut the junk off of her. She said her "stuff" seemed to be sticking out, like it may be prolapsed. I tossed the hen back into the pen, but thought I would ask you folks what you think is going on. Is she going to be able to keep on producing, or is it time for "The Pot"?

 

[cadams]

From past experance it's time for the pot. my last one that I tried to heal died.

 

[FarmerDenise]

It seems once they prolapse, they are more likely to do it again. I have gone and shoved the prolapsed part back in, and gave the chicken sitzbaths to help her heal. I only have 20 or less chickens at any given point, so I didn't mind spending the time doing this.

 

[tortoise]

My pup had a prolapse. The vet used glucose to draw the fluid out of the swollen tissue before putting it back. Just a thought...

 

[tamlynn]

How old is she? If she is 3+ years I would say the pot. I had a tiny little bantam hen who prolapsed with a big old turd. I had to dig the turd apart to get it out, clean her out and push her self back in. Thank goodness for latex gloves. Anyway, that was over a year ago and it hasn't happened since.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

maybe the pot.. or really.. just cull her. if she has damage inside then you never know what may be infected or whatnot. we lost a really good layer not too long ago. we tried to treat her but the prolapse got worse and she was just suffering. after a couple days we knew she wouldnt make it.

however,

i have one layer, Angel Purplepants, who was just kinda prolapsed. we kept her separated for the entire winter, gave her rations so that she WOULDNT lay, and now she's doing pretty good. but honestly if she wasnt one of the named hens we would have culled her by now. she's back with the general population... but when she takes a turn for the worse it will be curtains for her. no pot.

good luck

ps you might want to try BYC for options/treatments

 

[SKR8PN]

Thanks guys. This hen is only a year old............I'll take another looky-see tomorrow evening. Might even give my Vet a call. He just about CRAPPED when I told him we had laying hens.

 

[justusnak]

Being that sh eis only a year old...if you want to try..here is what I would do.
Bring her inside..and clean her bum area really well. Put her in a sitz bath to soak if you need to but get all the poo off. Then get some preperation H, and slather her area really well. This will help draw it back up. It doesnt work ALL the time, but it works pretty well. If you dont have Prep H, you can use Honey as well. It will also help tighten the area. Just slather, and poke it back in. Good luck!

 

[MsPony]

i have one layer, Angel Purplepants

Edit, LOVE that name!

I have no idea how to fix, I just go to my avian vet

 

[Beekissed]

I have one like this and she lays a huge egg each day. When I pick her up her butt is loose and tends to protrude through her vent under pressure but it doesn't hang out all the time.

Unless it is exposed all the time to possible injury and dirt, I wouldn't cull just yet. I've had many a hen over all the years that lay HUGE eggs and they all have that loose rearend....and why shouldn't they? But never had one fully prolapse yet......