[Carla]

I noticed an hour ago that Flo has suffered a prolapse. It looks horrible, a cluster of dark red fleshy stuff hanging out of her vent. Its not huge but big enough for me to be really concerned. No broken egg present though. I've cleaned the area as well as I can, put honey on it and tried to push it back in. She was shaking, so I'm presuming it hurts. It came straight back out, so I decided to just leave it. I've put her in a box, in the dark with just water to try and stop her laying, but she's already got a full crop, so I know another egg will be ready tomorrow. Is there anything else I can do for her or shall I just resign myself to the fact she'll be gone One of the chickens hs been laying huge eggs recently, so I'm presuming its her. My lovely Flo Devestated.

[joyfull]

you can put something like Preparation cream/germoloids etc, this should reduce the swelling and make it easier to push back in. You also need to keep her in the dark for a few days to discouraging laying and you could put her on wheat instead of layers. I would also get her to a vets just in case she has got a broken egg inside and needs antibiotics. Vets can now insert a thing under the skin to stop them laying and I would suggest this being done because next time she lays it could pop straight back out. They may need to get in touch with the Battery Hen Welfare trust for details of this.

[flitwickone]

all the best for her hope all goes well

[New shoot]

Hope you don't lose her Carla - I know your girls mean the world to you 

[bantam novice]

Good luck for Flo, Carla

[Carla]

She's still with us, in her box in the downstairs loo   It just keeps coming back out....slathered her in hemmaroid cream last night, hoping it would help, but she's still the same this morning. I've pushed it back in 3 times now and next time I check on her, its back out. She's laid this morning, so it must have put her back to square one. Cant get her in the vets until Saturday afternoon, and I know by then, it will be too late. I think I knew yesterday that there was no hope, but you've got to try havent you...especially for my Floppy Flo :'(  Seems such a shame to keep her shut in that box, knowing the outcome will be her demise. Think I might let her have one last day in the garden, and do the bad thing tonight.
NO more chickens once the last 2 have gone, I can't take the heart break. Never thought I'd love them so much...just a bunch of scraggy old chickens. Gutted.

[joyfull]

if you let her out with the others and it pops out they may peck at it, this would then draw blood and end up with her being pecked to death. Please try to stop her laying and get in touch with the ex batt rescue place you got her from - they may be able to help. I know little hen rescue in Norfolk have several girls that have had prolapses and still surive - take a look at this page as it has further treatment details:-

http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/after.aspx

Good luck xx

[rachelr]

there must be another vet you can take her to. If she was a human it would be considered urgent.

There is no reason if treated right that she needs to be put down.

[Carla]

The only vet anywhere near me is 23 miles away in Redditch, the local ones only deal with domestic animals. I've searched and searched and phoned all th locals asking if they would deal with chickens..but nope, too exotic apparently!!  There's an exotics ves that deals with parrots and reptiles and he said to pop in if its something simple, but he doesnt deal with chickens. I wouldnt let her out with the others, I know about their blood lust, little dinosaurs. I'm waiting for the bhwt to phone me back with advice...I'll keep you posted xx

[joyfull]

try ringing this vet up (6.4 miles from Grange Road in West Bromwich) - I found their details on the Omlet forum as a chicken friendly vet - hope they can help you 

Lordswood Veterinary Surgery
39 Lordswood Rd
Birmingham
West Midlands
B17 9QT
0121 426 4343

[Carla]

Thanks Joyful xx Why have I never seen that one before!?!?!?!  I've searched for vets when Sue was ill and had to take her to Redditch?!  I'll phone and ask when the babys woken up, dont think they'll appreciate a whispered conversation!! The bhwt phoned back and said to hold the prolapse in for 10-15 minutes, if that didnt work, than to take her to the vet, thats prolapses in ex-batts are very common and difficult to treat because their muscles just become too weak after being worked so hard. Some vets can stitch the vent tighter, but is very stressful for the bird, can sometimes rip and isn't really recommended for an older chicken. They said if it will stop in, than a course of antibiotics should see her ok, but it will more than likely keep happening.  Gawd, this is stressful.  Its all a matter of money isnt it. Having a operation thats more than likley to kill her or fail anyway, thats going to cost loads, seems like a waste of money. But no amount of money is a waste to try and stop Flo suffering. Wish I was loaded. And before I get the 'well if you can't afford pets, you shouldn't have them' lecture, you can save it because I know. Just haven't got them on the pet insurance.

[joyfull]

sadly I don't think any pet insurance would cover chickens  .
Fingers crossed for you, and if the vets are good (whether they can help save her or not but are prepared to even try) then please let us know and we can add them to our vets list 

[rachelr]

Hey dont worry we have kids an if we ever knew what they would cost us would we put them back i dont think so.

ps I have asked my vet in the past if i can do staged payments and they were quite good about it. My teenagers have also used 'mums on holiday can we get her to pay you when she gets home' even tho they were earning more than I was???

[Carla]

Update. Well Flo is still with us, back in full working order and seems unaffected by her recent stresses.
I didnt take her to the vet...the long and short of it was that I couldn't afford it..bad I know. SO I thought I'd try a bit of home nursing.
I kept her in the dark for 3 days, cleaning her and applying liberally, germaloids, and then gently pushing the prolapse back in. After 3 days of being on her own, things didnt seem as if they were improving, and she was spending her days chatting to herself in the bathroom mirror, so I decided to let her back into the garden....if she was going to die, she might as well live out her last few days with her friends and in the fresh air. She was constantly dripping from her vent, her feathers were soaked all the time...it was looking grim to say the least. Still eating and drinking, but condition was deteriorating. Kept up with the treatment and kept her bits sprayed purple and she started to improve. Trimmed all the feathers around her vent away so there was nothing for the runs to cling to. She started squatting and looking really uncomfortable, and on closer inspection, she seemed mega constipated, her prolapse was bulging and could see the poo inside, so each morning I sat her in a sink of warm water with tcp in and 'helped' her poo...urgh!! Applied more germaloids and sent her back outside. After 3 days of this, all of a sudden her prolapse went back in, dripping stopped and she could poo without any trouble. We've had 2 eggs since, with no issues afterwards. I'm not kidding myself that she's here for a long time, but for now, she seems better. Her feathers are shiny, smooth and flat again, back end dry and vent seems tight again. Fingers crossed she keeps it up. Im just glad that even though the situation seemed hopeless, with lots of care and attention, a prolapse is manageable...yet to see if its curable, but she's back to my old Flo for now

[jinty1911]

Oh that is so good to hear