What's wrong?

[sheena]

My son has just been out to let the girl's out and come back in saying that one of the girl's had poo'd out what looked like an egg.
However I just went to check on her and this is what I found!

Looks bloody within that mess, my mum has checked her over too and she thought she might be egg bound. Out of 3 girl's i've only been getting 2 eggs a day for a while, but assumed one of them was probably moulting due to all the new growth from them all.

Checked for mites, but couldn't see any. Her comb is pale too, and she's not even hunching when you go to stroke her. I've seperated her from the others, and left her with food and drink. She is drinking, but is not interested in the food.

Any ideas?

[kirsty b]

If you want to check for egg binding, hold her gently but firmly, with her bum facing forwards and gently insert your finger into her vent. If there is an egg stuck you will be able to feel it. If it is whole, you will feel the smooth shell. If you feel jagged edges it means the egg has broken and that is not good, and you will need to get her seen to.
I have eggs break inside hens twice now, and its not nice for them or you.

[timmyalex]

Use your little finger though !!!!!!

[sheena]

she has lost a lot of weight, i would say looks almost pol size now. the other 2 seem to look alot bigger in comparison. i've left her in the care of my hubby whilst i go out, but will have a more thorough loook when i get back. need to get some rubber clothes i think, i really don't want to put my finger in the vent! but needs must.

[MaureenHall]

And use some vaseline!!

[sheena]

I just gave her a wash, tending mostly to the vent area.
And noticed what looks like a small cut/tear on the top lip of her vent. Lifted her vent to have a look downward (didn't have any vaseline, so didn't want to hurt her anymore than necessary) and couldn't see anything untoward, not that I know what I am looking for anyway. But couldn't see any egg shell intact or broken, so have towel dried the area washed and placed her in a pet carrier next to me in our house so I can keep an eye on her.

She didn't budge an inch whilst I stood her in warm water and bathed her, and now she's curled up in the carrier lined with fresh sawdust to catch any excess of water that may have been left (again didn't want to stress her any further) with a cabbage leaf for company and a bowl of water.

I spoke to a woman at the local farm who keep chickens too, and she mentioned vent cleet or an infection due to her poo being yellow and runny.
Fingers crossed that others will be ok, but I don't think she will last.
I'll keep you updated within over the next 48 hours.

[Suechooks]

Can't see the picture clearly but I'm thinking it might be a prolapse? Is there something coming out of the vent?
Vent gleet is VERY smelly. You'd know when you open the hut in the morning.
I'd suggest you get someone who knows about hens to look at the bird before things get any worse - breeder/vet/experienced chicken keeper asap.
If it's a prolapse its pretty serious.

[sheena]

She's been sat on my lap for the best part of an hour, and not moved. Only raises her head to see what the parrot was looking at, so still quite alert.
She had a couple of poo's since my last post, which are very much watery, yellow in colour with what looks like sour milk in places.
She's still drinking (thank god), stood in one place and has not laid down at all! Hopefully that's a good sign in itself.
As for a prolapse, i've compared her vent to the other's and it looks the same, just that one minor cut/tear on the top lip that is different and small amount of bruising around it.
So, i'm not sure what to make of it just yet.

This is how she has been for the last hour and half in pic 1, the 2nd pic is of her vent, notice the swelling and the darker patch on the top left (the bruising).

The fresh poo she did whilst I was taking her pic

[Hilary B]

Sometimes if a hen is straining to lay, she shows a red bum for a while, and the others in the flock may take inappropriate interest (ie, they peck her in that sensitive spot). A tear sounds suspiciously like some such injury. If she got pecked a few days ago, it may be very sore, and that could be enough to cause the other symptoms.
Whatever the cause, I reckon it needs looked at by someone with experience.
I can't get the pics to show in a way that helps.

[kirsty b]

Give your vet a call, and ask for someone who knows chooks. You may need some anti-b's. That poo looks runny and yellow so could be an infection of some kind.
We used to use Cromwells for our animals, but can't think of any others offhand

[sheena]

so far so good, asbo is still with us!
i bathed her cos she was really starting to pong, she smelt worse wet dog!

i put some sudocream on her backside and she seems to be showing signs of getting better.
have placed her back with others and they not bothered with her but at least she's walking around alot more.

maybe she just wanted some tlc, bless her

[RichmondHens]

Has she not seen a vet yet? If she smells there must be an infection of some sort going on.