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8:22 am
Sun 25-Jul-10
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we are now the proud owners of three hens Beryl,Edna and Mable and poor old edna has a very dirty bottom as a chicken beginner i am slightly worried any tips would be helpfull 
10:52 am
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
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Welcome basil! I love the names of your girls. If you look through the posts in the current thread you will come across some links for chicken specific care. Other than that, someone will come up with a response soon enough.
I'll try that again!
5:04 pm
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
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Hello Basil and welcome
when you say Edna's bottom is dirty do you mean with regular coloured poo or is it white and chalkey when it dries into the feathers
if its a dirty colour it may just be a build up of poo after som has got stuck
if its white and chalky possibly something more serious
first thing to do is catch her and clean her rear
get someone to hold her facing them with both hands keeping her wings closed try not to squeeze too hard as if there is a blockage you don't want to put pressure on her insides
you may want to put gloves on before gently washing the feathers in warm clean water gently soak the poo out of the feathers don't pull and don't use soap if at all possible
when you have removed the mess gently uncover the skin around her bottom
if it looks pink and healthy its probably just a build up on the feathers
if there is any redness or infection consult the book or the vet
if the lining of the vent is hanging out you probably have a prolapse (usually due to passing large eggs )
in this case you have to put it back
not a pleasant job but doable with care and patience
clean the area and lubricate with baby oil then gently reinsert the prolapse with your little finger
you may have to do this a few times as it will reemerge
if after a few attempts it wont stay in apply preparation H (yes pile ointment )to the prolapse and try again gently
if it is a prolapse isolate her until it is safely back or the others may peck at it
hope this helps MOS
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
6:05 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
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That's a very comprehensive reply MOS, thanks for doing that. I hope that sorts Edna's bum out.
I'll try that again!
6:38 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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6:38 pm
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
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Well done MOS.
I was thinking perhaps the hen was just a bit upset with the move and it might settle down.
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
7:28 pm
Supreme Being
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Mon 7-Jun-10
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I was going to suggest baby wipes but I'm glad I didn't...well done MOS.
I had a similar problem with a rabbit only mine got an attack of blow fly...Took it to the vet...she said I can do my worse or I can do my best...so I said do you best and the bill came to £234 for a rabbit...two months later and the fox got it...most expensive meal that he/she'd ever had....motto...don't become responsible for ANYTHING....
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
8:42 pm
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New members
Wed 12-May-10
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good point ep
first time we had a prolapse (agatha)Mrs mos went streight to the vets he poped it back in and charged 15 quid it was out in 5 mins, so he said he could operate and put a stich in it ,god knows how much that would cost.so when i got home i sorted it with the preperation H,took a couple of goes but she is still knocking about ,and even lays ocasionaly.but as they are primarily pest control its not that important.i have stoped her naming the turkeys ,or we will be having nut cutlets for christmas dinner ,i dont believe in animals suffering and wouldent harm them ,but at the end of the day you have to be sencible with livestock ,agatha bagatha and tabatha do make the garden look good and do amuse me heartely but sooner or later they will be chicken dinners .i know some people couldent do it and i can understand that, but to me they are part of the food chain ,and allways will be i cincerly hope somthing has agood feast from me when i go (and there will certainly be a good feed ),i cant be doing with waist ,
sorry i seem to be on a rant and ime in the wrong topic ile sod off now and have a cupa 
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
10:37 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
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MOS said:
sorry i seem to be on a rant and ime in the wrong topic ile sod off now and have a cupa
No, MOS, far from it.
None of us knew that you have such a good knowledge of chooks.
Top marks to you for your useful and practical advice. 
Never knowingly underfed
7:51 am
Sun 25-Jul-10
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Thanks for all the helpful hints i have checked edna all seem ok at the mo,although Beryl has now a runny bot i think i"ve over done the runner beans and boiled carrots.They are laying 4 eggs a day and seem bonny,i do have another question i know this sounds silly but do chickens wee.and they seem to be loseing a few feathers is this the normal moult.
11:23 am
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New members
Wed 12-May-10
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Hi basil
no they dont wee it is part of the poo thats why is usualy runny
and yes it is moulting season at the moment for a good many breeds well done on the egg front ours stoped alltogethre for the moult so no scrummy cakes for me for a couple of weeks booooow but they started 2 days ago yehhhhhhha
MOS
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
10:26 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Tue 22-Sep-09
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A new issue, but found this threat an it was relevant.
Last week we noticed one of our little game birds had a mucky bum, so we've been keeping an eye in it, then we noticed that one of the others also had a mucky bum and a red lump, Apparently our very big rooster occasionally takes afancy to the poor little things and has his way, Mike had noticed this and said that often this red 'lump' apeared afterwards, but seemed to go away after a short while (within an hour). Anyway had a quick look on a chicken forum and they recommended catching the bird and soaking it's bum in warm water, then 'shampooing with a mild shampoo/soap to remove the poo, if necessary you may need to cut feathers away. So yesterday afternoon, I caught one bird,and with some difficulty managed to bath it and clean it. (It worked, but it doesn't look any cleaner today)
The other one was more of a problem as upon closer inspection, it seems that it has a prolapse so I cleaned it as best I could, but th poor thing got so stressed that I was really worried about it , the forum suggested using a hairdrier on a gentle setting to warm/dry it and it looked so bedraggled that I had to try. Anyway that seemd to perk it up a bit.
However, this morning, I looked at it's back end, it wouldn't let me catch it - probably thought "bloody hell, not letting her near me again...it's worse that the flaming cockerel" and it's now all caked in dried blood...I THINK (not sure) that the other birds have been pecking at it's bum, I'm worried now that it might not be able to poo at all and it's going to explode - sorry, trying to be lighthearted about it but really don't know what to do now...should we knock it on the head?
4:47 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Can you keep her completely separate from the other birds to see whether she can recover. Otherwise the other hens will continue to peck at her. But if she doesn't look as if she will recover it would be kinder to dispatch her. I have never had a hen with a prolapse so I have no experience of it, but I do know they rarely recover completely. I am so sorry Janet. 
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
6:40 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
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I have a hen in permanent isolation due to pecking. She has been there for over a year and still gives me almost daily eggs. She can see the others and I go in and cuddle her and hand feed her pasta which she loves. I have never had a hen with a prolapse so cannot advise but sincerely hope she recovers. Having recently gone through the dispatching bit I know how you feel. I agree with the sentiments of mos, they are part of the food chain, I just cannot do it!
I have washed my hens bots from time to time if they are very mucky but they are not impressed!
Trying to enjoy life as it is
8:15 am
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
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Oh Janet the poor thing! I would agree the best thing to do is isolate her and give her a chance to rest up without being bothered by the other hens and the cockerel!! Then you might know if she has a chance.
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
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