Prolapsed Vent

Prolapsed Vent

January 17, 2021

(A [yes I know, awkward and revealing, but bear with me!] picture of Angelica's prolapsed vent!)

A prolapsed vent is a potentially serious condition which occurs when a portion of a hen's oviduct ends up outside her body and doesn't retract back inside. It's likely to happen on a recurring basis after it has occurred once. It is more common in young layers, chickens being forced to lay through the winter (by using artificial light in the coop) instead of being able to adhere to a natural laying cycle, overweight hens, or hens who strain to lay extremely large (double yolk) eggs or soft-shelled eggs.

Conventional treatment: Carefully cleaning the prolapse with warm water and then pushing it back into place before applying medicine. (Preparation H, KY jelly, petroleum jelly, or 1% hydrocortisone is the conventional treatment.)

Natural treatment: However, not generally being a fan of "conventional" or commercial treatments, a more natural treatment uses witch hazel which is a natural anti-inflammatory that will help tighten the skin and vent, as well as soothe and reduce the pain and swelling). Applying honey or sugar will help tighten the area as well. Treatment should also include-

• separating the 'patient' and keeping her in a dark, quiet location to prevent pecking by other flock members and to reduce the chances she will lay another egg (a dog crate with a blanket or towel draped over it works well).
• withholding feed for at least 24 hours but providing lots of fresh water, followed by several days of light rations of mainly greens will help prevent another egg being laid in order to give the vent time to heal.

The treatment should be repeated daily until the prolapse has healed; and the hen should be kept separate in a quiet, dark place for the duration to prevent pecking by flock members and to reduce the chance she will lay another egg.

Natural Prevent: Prevention includes-

• allowing your flock plenty of space for exercise to help them maintain good muscle tone
• healthy diet to prevent obesity
• free-choice calcium to make hard eggshells
• being given a natural break from laying through the winter for their bodies to rest.

By forcing them to lay year round (by adding artificial light to your coop in the winter), you are putting an unnatural strain on their bodies.

In our case, our Buff Angelica passed a one too large egg. For the next 2 days, she did not lay eggs. I checked her vent and saw that the feathers around it had fallen out and that her vent had prolapsed. I decided to give Angelica conventional treatment. I applied 1% hydrocortisone to her vent and it healed within 2 days. Now, Angelica is back to laying her gorgeous brown eggs again!