[Beano]

Hi,
It's Buttercup this time!
Yesterday I noticed that she had a mucky bottom. She had layed her usual smallish egg,
This morning she had a prolapse and was struggling to poo.
It was an effort to catch her and by the time we managed to do so she had popped it back in herself.
I pushed my finger in to make sure that it was in properly and it was as far as I could see.
I am scared that it will pop out again during the day while we're at work.
What can I do to prevent it happening again?
Is the fact that she managed to pop it back in herself encouraging?
Any suggestions will be gratefully appreciated!!

[Vember]

Hi Beano

Not much can can do really if it's going to come out again it will

I put my girl in a dark room for a few days to try to stop her laying and you could pop some prep h cream on the area

Best of luck

Sarah

[Beano]

Thanks Sarah. Will keep my fingers crossed and get some prep H on the way home tonight just in case.

[North Devon Dumpling]

I can vouch for the prep H or any pile cream.  It has an antiseptic in it and a mild anaesthetic in it, so helps to bring down the bruising and relieve pain.  With ours we kept her in a dark box (also as Vember suggests) and kept her away from the other hen as she was pecking at the others vent.  We checked her regularly and also bathed the area in mild iodine (or a mild salt soluition would do).

As vember says, it is difficult to stop it happening again but if you can help to stop her laying for a while while it heals this helps (hence the dark box).

Good luck with Buttercup, hope she recovers.

[Beano]

Thanks N.D.D.
I do not know how she will take to a dark box though. She is a very active girl.
I will try that tomorrow if she layes an egg today again.
Keeping her out of harms way is an idea because Goldie is a bottom pecker and I will have to separate them if she prolapses again.
I hope it will not come to that.

[North Devon Dumpling]

Yes ours was difficult to keep in a box too!  We actually blocked off one of the nest boxes for her and she managed to find a tiny gap and get through it, no idea how she did it.  We didn't keep her in there for long mind you, jut a couple of days.

I hope you don't have problem with vent pecking, it is very distressing.  We got some antipeck spray and it did help alot.

Good luck. 

[Aunt Sally]

If you reduce the hen's feed drastically Down to about a quarter of their normal intake it will stop them from laying and give the tissues a chance to recover. 

It may sound a bit harsh but it's better than death 

[Beano]

Thanks Aunt Sally. Come to think of it she has plumped up lately. She is a greedy girl and will run across the garden if she sees us to beg for food.
She had been broody a lot this year and has been quite skinny for most of that time. But lately she has been laying regularly and eating a lot.
I will set up a darkened separate pen for her tonight and give her very little food tomorrow with plenty of water.
Hopefully things are alright today while I am at work!!

[ehs284]

Honey or sugar into the area reduces the water content and tightens the tissues which helps keep things together until she gets back to normal.

[Beano]

I've got some Manuka honey I might try that. It is supposed to have some anti-bacterial qualities also. I wish I was at home but I will ask someone to look in on them while I'm at work.