Our hen had a prolapse - has anyone heard of this before?

Birker2020

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We lost one of our four ex bat hens Parsley, that we'd had for 2 months yesterday. My partner found her about noon and rang me at work to say that she had blood and something poking out of her bum. I presumed she'd had a prolapse so left work and shot round there. He'd seperated her from the others as they were pecking her bum. I rang the vets and got an appointment for about 3 hours times. She'd laid an egg after being seperated from the others which was just a normal sized and shaped egg. I thought she may have been egg bound but when we cracked the egg open it was as fresh as a daisy. As it happened I was due to leave work early yesterday anyway as my vet was coming to visit and scan my friends horse so I rang ahead and they agreed to put her to sleep at the yard. Poor Parsley, it was very sad as they had to inject her intra muscularly as they only do it that way and then she needed a top up about an hour later as she hadn't gone although she was unconcious.

The vet said it was a big prolapse and didn't think there was much point doing anything, which I agreed with as we'd given her a lovely two short months of freedom and he thought she'd probably die under the anaethetic anyway. I know I sound very ignorant but do hens have only one opening for egg pooh and wee? I thought they would have two or even three but have never looked. They are fed the best layers mash, layers pellets, have access to good grit, water at all times, a sand bath, a large run, shavings and straw bed. We dig worms for them every night, and they have been wormed with flubevenet, red mited with powder, have poultry spice added to their feed, also they are on stressless once a week. They have cooked veg like cabbage leaves, potatoes, spaghetti, corn and pasta at least twice a week. We read poultry magazines and my partners brother has Bantams so we have advice as and when necessary. Where have we gone wrong or were we just unlucky? Has anyone else lost a bird to a prolapse? Has anyone else had their hen put down by injection?
 
Just unlucky
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your doing a fab job by the sounds of things
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and yes we have had one prolapse
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Prolapses in Chickens is fairly common, and as you did the kindest thing is PTS. I have seen some treated and to be honest I would never ever recommend it at all its not nice.

Its quite common to euth by inj as any other 'pet' but its not as easy unfortunatly. They do have veins on their legs you can use at a push but they are tiny and easily blow. I/M is easy and although generally they are not aware of anything pretty quickly is does take a while for their heart to stop completely.
 
You don't mention oystershell in your extensive list of what is provided to give your hens the best life.

I've never had one with a prolapse (25 years of rescued hens!) and FWIW I've never had one pts by injection. This is just my opinion but I prefer to deal with the problem immediately by wringing the bird's neck myself rather than have to wait for the vet.
 
One presumes that the good grit that AC refers to is oystershell Grit!!

prolapses happen I'm afraid, and you have done the best thing by getting her PTS. Not everyone has the correct nack for pulling a hen's neck and if not done correctly can be horrible for all involved.

As you say you gave her a v happy last couple of months, so don't worry.
 
I keep my horse at a chicken farm and it is fairly common to find a prolapsed one, particularly towards the end of their 'time' as these little birds lay their hearts out and their bodies are under such a strain.

I find vets are not brill with poultry unless you get a farming one. I tend to take them back to the farmer for advice or if necessary immediate despatch (sorry grim subject, but the tweak to the neck is the most effective IMO).

I did have one (called Treasure) that came back from a prolapse (not a big one) and lived for many years but she was the exception rather than the rule.

RIP Parsley, I get upset when I lose one too.
 
We had exactly the same happen took on 6 ex batts in february, they lived happily in the horsebox for 2 months, in a massive bed of straw and straw bales helping to insulate and in april a few days after we put them out we got to the yard one morning and one had died but it was a natural death :S if she had still been alive would have been pts. at least they get some quality of life after the misery they go through as battery hens!
 
Also had a chicken with a prolapse - not nice!
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I agree with ^^^ that, unless you know what you are doing, wringing a chicken's neck ain't easy and it can cause great distress to both person and chicken.
 
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One presumes that the good grit that AC refers to is oystershell Grit!!



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Yes but as only one "grit" is mentioned it's worth checking that chooks have access to both
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It's surprising how many people don't know about oystershell.

Although it may sound gross, if people with hens are not confident to kill by breaking necks by hand the other quick method of despatching a hen is to get a sharp axe or a large knife, hold hen down to the ground and chop head off with a firm blow. It may be unpleasant to have to do it but it's far less unpleasant for the hen than having to wait in pain for a vet who doesn't really know how to deal with it any better - and who won't feel able to "neck it" in front of the owner!
 
Thanks for all your comments folks, I feel a bit better hearing that it has happened before to your girls. Yes the grit I was referring to is oystershell. They were also pecking at the sand in the sand box as my O/H says they love a good bath in sand.

As for wringing their necks, no I would not like to do that in case I did not do in correctly. In one of the issues of our smallholder magazine it shows you how to do it, but unless you are very confident I would not like to do it myself. I don't mind about paying for her to have a humane death rather than a cheapy do it yourself but leave her in agony when it goes wrong
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At the end of the day we have done our best, thank you for all your replies. xx
 
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