Solitary chicken - need advice

[koo2cat]

Hi All

 

Last week one of my chickens (Betty) looked very poorly and was just standing in the run falling asleep. I decided to bring her into the house in a cat box for the night, gave her food and water etc and actually thought by the morning she would have gone to chicken heaven . However, in the morning she was as bright as a button having "passed" a soft shelled egg and this long pink chicken skin looking thing

 

She went back in the run with the others and all was well again . Today I noticed her standing in the run straining and hunched and when I looked at her vent there was blood coming out and it looked like she was trying to lay something I was literally about to take my 3 daughters to the pantomime so decided to quickly separate her from the others (we have a spare eglu fortunately) and see how she was on my return. It was dark when we got back and I found her in the nest box so decided to bring her inside in cat box again as so cold tonight but she seems okay again. I have put her in a dark, warm room with some corn and water and will see again how she is in the morning.

 

Obviously with it being Christmas Eve tomorrow I think a vet appointment could be tricky so I wondered if there is anything else I should be doing to help her. I don't want her to suffer at all. I think it is a prolapse but not sure really so any advice gratefully received . Is a prolapse curable???

 

Thanking you all and Merry Christmas to you all and your hens!!

[Egluntyne]

If she is prolapsing her vent, I would keep her indoors, in a darkened crate, and give her minimal rations, such as weetabix rather than pellets for a couple of days to discourage laying and help her insides to settle down.

[Plum]

Aren't they a worry. Did she pass the chicken skin looking thing. It could have been membrane from the egg or the others often peck at the vent to eat the egg or because they see red tissue.

 

You were right to seperate her to stop the others pecking her vent. You really need to have a look at the vent.

 

If she is straining there could be another egg there and you can help her pass it. If you introduce some oil as lubricant that helps, be careful but get it as much round the egg as you can. You'll probably feel the egg and holding her in warm water can relax her to pass the egg. If that doesn't work you may need to break the egg and let it drain out then with your finger pull out the membrane and the shell. Check again to make sure that any shell is removed.

 

The blood may be from pecking and it might not be a prolapse so if its pecking, wash the area and put some antiseptic cream such as teatree or purple spray. Or vet powder would be fine.

 

If its a prolapse then if you want I'll talk you through how to reduce and replace it. Good luck hope its a softie. Some prolapses can be replaced but you need to do it now to give her the best chance.

 

Egluntine is right if its prolapse follow her excellent advice. If its no prolapse just softie then up the calcium for a time and tell her off.

[koo2cat]

Thank you for your help. She seems fine this morning, had a look at her vent and it seems fine again and free from blood. I have popped her in with the others and when I did she went straight into the nest box to lay so I will keep checking on her to see if she is okay. Most odd really. I keep writing her off and then she springs back to life again!!! Obviously a fighter!

 

I will keep you posted as to her progress and I will separate her and bring her in again if she takes another turn for the worst.

 

Thanks again. xx

[Plum]

They look terrible when they have a difficult egg but are fine soon after. Glad it's not a prolapse.