[ Post a Response | The Easy Chicken Messageboard ]
Posted by Rachel in WA on 9/8/2009, 2:12 pm, in reply to "chicken had a blowout"
207.118.33.178
I got the word chick from the post below you. This is a hen? If it's a laying hen it sounds like she has a prolapse. This is more common with newly laying pullets. If this is the case, make sure she is isolated from the others or they will peck her to death. Wash her carefully and feel for an egg. Hopefully it is not still in there. Try to do this inside in a quiet area so that she panics less and doesn't keep straining. Hopefully you have some latex gloves around, it's best to use tight fitting sterile gloves, that have NOT been used with cleaners. Wrap her in a towel when everything is cleaned and gently push the mass back in, slather it in preperation H as this will reduce the swelling and put the hen in a small cage and cover it with a blanket. You want her to stay in the dark all day with little room to move. She will not starve, she will probably sleep. If she moves or strains she'll push it back out. After about four hours offer her some water with antibiotics in it, a little food and if it's still in place, cover her back up. If this doesn't work you have the option of going to a vet who will put in a stitch on either side of the vent that you can take out yourself later. It will allow poop out, but keep the organs in place. Or you can put her down. Don't let the insides keep falling out for more than twenty four hours without either putting her down or getting help or you will risk serious infection. Oh, the other thing about keeping her in the dark is that it makes it less likely to produce another egg while she's healing. Sorry I misread your post before. Good luck.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread