Vent Health

Backyard Chicken Health Inspection Guide: Preventing Illness in Your Flock

Posted on by Noelle K. Moser

Buff, Silver-lace, and Golden lace Polishes gathered for routine health inspections.

Performing routine health inspections on chickens is essential and a prerequisite for a healthy flock. Like a check-up at a physician’s office, health inspections for chickens are much the same. Catching problematic pathologies before they occur requires routine health inspections.

I will discuss the process and procedure for conducting successful health inspections in a backyard flock. Beginning at the head down to the body and tail, I will include all the vital indications to prevent illness in the backyard flock.

Head, Eyes, Comb, and Waddles:

Apollo (White Crested Polish Hen) posing as I inspect her eyes for indications of ill health.

Starting at the crown of the head, inspect for mites and lice on the individual. If mites and lice are present treatment will be required. The eyes should be clear and free of debris. If crusting is present around the eye, gently wipe it away with a paper towel moistened with clean, warm water.

Dracula (Silver Lace Easter Egger) shaking his waddles for the camera.

The comb and waddles should be red and warm to the touch. Dried blood or pecking marks indicate flock disharmony and bullying. Monitor the flock and take appropriate actions to rectify the problem by isolating the bully or establishing a bachelor pen if roosters are sparring.

Legions or sores indicate fowl pocks (a common virus) or parasites such as fleas or ticks. Treatment with Eprinex will clear up external parasite infections. I have a video on my YouTube Channel showing my methodology to treat external parasites in my flock.

Neck:

Buff and Golden Lace Polish hens hunting and pecking as they search for delicious morsels.

Moving down the body, examine the neck of the bird. Feathers should be clean, and the base of the shaft should be visible. If clumps or residue surrounding the base of the quill is noticed, this indicates the presence of lice. Treatment with eprinex is warranted to address these external parasites.

Wings:

Lestat (White Crested Polish Rooster) proudly displaying his feathers to attract his favorite hens.

The wings of birds are among one of the favorite places for external parasites to congregate. Due to the warmth and protection from disruption, mites and lice can live rent-free. Parting the feathers and exposing the skin, tiny moving dark spots indicate red fowl mites. These small parasites feed on the host’s blood and must be addressed. Again, Eprinex works very well to address and abruptly stop a mite and lice infestation on the bird.

Tail and Vent:

Clean and health fluffy bottoms of a Buff Silkie, Black Australorp, and Silver Lace Wyandotte Rooster.

Like the wings, the vent is a favorite place for mites and lice to congregate. Due to the inability of the bird to preen this location, mites and lice will multiply unencumbered. Treatment for external parasites will rectify the infestation.

If the vent area is dirty or caked with dried or wet excrement, this indicates worms. Left untreated, intestinal worms will weaken and eventually cause death in affected individuals. Natural wormers such as Diamateous earth, pumpkin seeds, or apple cider vinegar will not address a high worm load in chickens. Worm infections should be treated with products developed to kill worms and the eggs in the intestinal tract. Another indication of worms is finding roundworms on the poop boards or worms visible in the eggs. See the video on my YouTube Channel using my flock to demonstrate proper dosage and administration.

Shanks, Feet, and Toes:

Bumblefoot in a Buff Orpingtons Hen

The shanks (legs) of the chicken should be neat; the scales should lie uniformly. Uplifted scales are a sign of leg mites and can be addressed by soaking the legs in warm Epsom salt, followed by applying Vaseline to the legs to smother the mites. Treatment with Eprinex is also helpful in advanced infestations.

The pad of the foot should be clean and without puncture wounds or signs of trauma. If a round scab is present on the foot, this is bumblefoot and can be addressed with simple steps to remove the corn (infection) and wrapped in gauze and vet wrap for healing. Bumblefoot is common in backyard flocks and not necessarily a reflection of poor flock management. For instructions on how to treat bumblefoot, please see my blog post on treatment in my flock.

Take care to use proper protection when treating bumblefoot

Use caution when treating bumblefoot as these infections are usually staph infections and zoonotic (passing from one species to another) and can affect humans. Medical gloves and masks for treatment are recommended. Sanitize all instruments with bleach to kill any bacteria before storage.

Routine health inspections are key for proper flock husbandry as problematic illnesses can be caught early and prevented through preventative efforts. For more information on caring for backyard chickens, please visit my YouTube Channel.

Stan (BHI 3303) Tyrannosaurus Rex and I. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, Texas.

I am a multi-disciplinary writer, blogger, and web content creator. To see more of my work visit my online writing portfolio and other sites.

Coffee and Coelophysis – A blog about dinosaurs!

Mesozoic plants at the National Botanical Gardens. Washington, D.C.

The Introvert Cafe – A mental health blog

As always, thanks for reading. Till next time, keep on crowing!

Me peering through an orbital fenestra of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Cincinnati Natural History Museaum.

~ The Kuntry Klucker Crew ~

Healthy and happy backyard chicken flock strolling on a freshly cut spring lawn.

Why Does My Hen Have a Dirty Vent?

Posted on by Noelle K. Moser

Dirty vents are not only unattractive but a sign that something is wrong. In this post, I will discuss the reasons for dirty vents in chickens and how to treat conditions that cause this problem.

A healthy Buff Silkie fluffy bottom.

A chicken is not supposed to have a dirty vent; underlying conditions and environmental factors cause excrement to be runny, sticking to feathers surrounding the vent and causing a messy and unsightly situation. Some conditions are as simple as placing supplements in the water; others require a closer examination and treatment.

Worms:

Treating worms in a bantam cochin hen with SafeGuard.

One of the most common reasons for dirty vents in chickens is worms. Intestinal worms wreak havoc on the digestive tract, causing malnutrition and dirty vents. Worm infections are evident in dropping.

A chicken’s body can withstand a baseline worm parasitic load without ill effects. Once the parasite load exceeds the point at which the body can manage the load, health problems will result. Worms visible in the droppings or on the dropping board when cleaning the coop are a reliable indication that the parasitic load has reached a critical point. At this point, it is advisable to treat the flock for worms. Once the flock has completed treatment, dirty vents associated with worms will resolve.

I have a post and YouTube video detailing the correct dosage and procedure for worming a flock.

Mites and Lice:

Treating mites and lice in a Silver Lace Wyandotte Hen with Eprinex.

Like worms, mites and lice will deplete a chicken of energy, leaving them anemic and lethargic. Dirty vents are one of the first indications that an individual may be dealing with a mite and lice infestation. To determine if mites and lice are present, pick up the chicken and examine the vent area for small dark brown to red bugs crawling on the skin; these are red fowl mites and are detrimental to the individual. They multiply fast and will suck the lifeblood out of a chicken in a short about of time.

Lice live in the feathers of a bird and will cause dirty vents and extreme discomfort to the individual. Like mites, lice will congregate around the vent area, appearing as light brown or tan bugs crawling on the feathers. In a progressive lice infestation, bundles of eggs will be visible on the quill near the skin.

Treatment for mites and lice is simple and requires one topical product to address both parasites. I have a blog post and YouTube Video demonstrating the correct dosage and procedure for treating mites and lice using my flock as examples.

Egg laying Issues:

Silkie eggs on a nesting pad.

Egg-laying issues such as soft-shelled eggs can result in dirty vents in hens. During the formation of the egg, reproductive medullary bone deposits form the shell around the yolk cell. When the calcium supply in the hen’s body is low, soft-shelled eggs cause the egg to break during the laying phase.

Adding supplemental calcium to the flock’s diet will address soft-shelled eggs. Most poultry feed contains calcium for hard shells that the hen’s body uses quickly. Oyster shells available at farm/feed stores add valuable long-absorption calcium that the hen’s body will process over 24 hours, providing the resources for hard shells that do not break during laying.

Oyster shells for stronger eggshells.

Offer oyster shells in a separate container in the pen or where the flock eats. The hens can determine the amount of supplemental calcium their body requires and will consume from the available oyster shells. Keep oyster shells available for laying hens during active laying periods. The hen’s body will use the long-absorption calcium to produce hard eggshells, reducing dirty vents.

Heat-Related Issues:

Apollo and Aphrodite (White Crested Polish hens) enjoying a summer evening sampling from a pot of marigolds.

A hen will drink more water during excessive heat and high humidity. The unbalance in the gut biome results in loose excrement and dirty vents. Adding electrolytes and probiotics to the flock water will address this issue. Not all electrolytes are alike; purchase a probiotic marketed for use in poultry. While watermelon and cucumbers are a nice treat for a hot summer day, they lack the essential electrolyte balance that a hen’s body needs during extreme heat.

A product I readily provide for my flock is Rooster Booster Vitamins and Electrolytes, found at Tractor Supply. Containing Lactobacillus, this product promotes a balanced gut biome during extreme heat. Since I have started using this, dirty vents due to summer temperatures have notably decreased.

Vent Gleet:

Unlike parasitic or environmental causes, vent gleet is an inflammation of the cloaca (the vent), causing an unsightly condition called cloacitis. The most obvious symptom of cloacitis is a yellowish discharge from the vent that sticks to the feathers around the vent area and presents with a foul odor. In addition to the aforementioned, a hen will have a bloated abdomen, and the vent area can appear red and inflamed.

Treatment for vent gleet involves a two-pronged approach with probiotics – Rooster Booster administered in water mentioned above – and anti-fungal cream. Begin treatment by isolating the affected hen from the flock. Wash the vent area with warm water and mild soap to remove the debris and dried excrement from the feathers. Carefully cut away feathers from the vent if necessary.

Monistat 7-day cream – treatment for yeast infections in women – works well for vent gleet in hens. For hens, apply a pea-sized amount of the cream externally around her vent daily. Repeat for 5-7 days or until the redness has subsided around the vent. Continue to keep the hen in isolation for treatment till her condition improves. In my experience, vent gleet treated with probiotics and anti-fungal cream will resolve in two weeks.

Buff Orpington hen’s healthy fluffy butt.

I am a multi-disciplinary writer, published author, and web content creator. If you like this post, consider visiting some of my other blogs.

Coffee and Coelophysis – A blog about dinosaurs.

Chicken Math University – A blog about homeschooling

The Introvert Cafe – A mental health blog.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment or reach out to kuntryklucker@gmail.com. I check my email daily and will get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading! Till next time, keep on crowing!

~ The Kuntry Klucker Crew ~