Locking Bar Eglu Classic

[craigan]

Hi everybody - first post, just joined...

 

I've been through this and other sites, and there's a little more to the 'sore vent', so please put up with the length of this post, and any advice would be most welcome.

 

Present problem - hen (my girl Dora) has a sore vent. Inflamed and sore looking, but not prolapsed, no blood and no smelly greenish droppings. She's happy in herself, acting normally and laying every day. What to do?

 

The complication is this - I recently removed a 'broom' shrub from their area, when I saw what it was doing to her. Dora would climb up one of the branches to weigh it down whilst she and her sister Aggy would strip it of any new growth... but the newly opened branches/stems must have been brushing her underside, and as a result of the sap being an irritant, she devleoped a terrible rash the full length of her tummy. She lost (removed because of discomfort, I guess) all the feathers from this region, it was red, warm, and in places broken. Over a two week period, I've been washing her and applying Bupanthen and Sudecream (baby bum cream to those readers without weans - which I heard worked on another site), and because of the feather loss, I also mixed in some flower of sulpher, just in case there was a feather mite/louse problem (but I don't think so). Previous to this I used anti-peck sprays and an aloe vera cream, but this made her surrounding feathers a real mess...

 

The good news is the rash has all but gone, though she still has a baldy tummy. Practically every area you don't see as she parades was affected, but she's been very brave and seemingly fine throughout. But, now the vent being sore (as it wasn't as bad previously) - could this be related, or just an unlucky, but distinct problem?

 

I am using Kamillosan cream (which has Lanolin in it) on her vent nightly (for the last four nights). I can take her to the vet on Friday, but I wanted to post this first, in case any experience hen-folk could help or reassure.

 

Kind regards

Andrew

 

PS - every post I've read has been followed by request of the hen's lifestyle, so here we go.

Hens are 14 months old, and have barely missed a day, egg-wise.

They live in a recycled plastic house, which is cleaned out weekly and scrubbed with Poultry Shield every two months. They have their own area to free-range(ish) in, that is approx. 20 square metres - half plain ground, half covered in shrubs, with an outside shelter, hangers for cabbage, stress balls, cds, etc..

They've always been fed layers pellets, but do get treats from the table. I give them at least one head of cabbage/lettuce per week, plus all the trimmings from my vegetable garden. They're getting dry cat food (fish not chicken) for extra protein to help feather regrowth. That's about it! Again apologies for so much waffle...

[Egluntyne]

Are you quite sure that her comrade isn't pecking at her, Broken feathers and a sore vent can often be a sign.

[craigan]

Yes, pretty sure its not caused by pecking. I've spent a fair amount of time watching them over the weekend and unless they're extremely sneaky, it isn't that... I also don't think Aggy would have the guts as Dora's the head hen!

 

I'm certainly no expert, but I'm guessing its an infection, or a blocked gland/pore near the vent? The swelling is getting worse - when I checked her a minute ago, there was lots of movement in the vent and a clear secretion - so I think its a trip to the vet for Dora and me...

[Plum]

Vent problem could be a coincidence and associated with difficulty laying. Perhaps feel for an egg but the vet will help.

[craigan]

Update on Dora. Took her to the vet last Friday, and received antibiotics. Her general health was fine, apart from a slight temperature, and the swollen vent had improved since my first post. Today is day 6 of 7 treatments, and we've had eggs every day and swelling is almost gone. Only downside is we can't use the eggs for 2 weeks after last treatment. Vet strongly recommended Sudecrem (baby bum cream) for the rash/sore areas on her tummy.

[Plum]

I used it on one of mine with a sore bum worked fine

[chickencam]

Another use for what we call magic cream in our house this dates back to when the children were small.