Prolapsed hen - oral antibiotics, yes or no?

[seven possums]

Hello all.
Quick & dirty background: Backyard flock of 4, all ~2 y/o, no issues until now, wood coop & covered run, hay & wood shavings + PDZ in coop.
Magnolia is a 1.5 y/o white leghorn, between 2-3lb, adopted w/2 others last fall from MSPCA-Nevins Farm in MA as rescues from an abuse/neglect case. She and the others were scrawny; she's put on some good weight since we brought her home, but still on the thin side. Their diet is layer pellets, cracked corn, oyster shell, daily greens and dried bug treats. (None of them like yogurt or scrambled egg. Ideas?)
They get either ACV or Rooster Booster electrolytes & vitamins in their water.
She's been laying steadily in the time I've had her, but prolapsed on 27 May. She was not injured by her flockmates but been keeping her separate for safety, with some supervised together time. At the time I found her, I cleaned her up and used a sugar/water paste on the swollen prolapse to draw down the swelling until it could be gently replaced, and while it's reduced she does keep popping it back out to a lesser degree.

I've been treating with epsom salt baths, calcium cit+mag+D tabs, trimming feathers, vent cleaning and moisturizing, keeping her inside in a dog crate overnight for more darkness to stop her laying, and she hasn't for the last few days (she was eggbound on the 27th but bath+calcium helped her pass it; I'm still checking inside daily). She is eating a bit less than normally but she clearly doesn't feel well and who could blame her.
She can pass white & normal grey-brown stool but seems a bit constricted still. There is also clearish urate dripping visible in the PDZ below her roost.

She was taken to the vet and he sent her home with doxycycline 'if needed'. At this time I don't see or smell pus, she's not feverish, the vent is red but not grossly swollen or hot, but she does keep fussing at it and a scabbed area tore away; everything is either pink or bright red. White stool all over her beak, I'm constantly cleaning her face off.
So, two questions really:
== Start her on antibiotic? Concerned about the effect on her gut etc, I'd have to syringe feed her yogurt to replenish.
== Cone/collar to stop her picking at it, or let her do what she needs to?
== ok a third: pain control meds? would they even help for this?
Thanks to all, I've been reading all the what-to-do articles & threads I can find.
Photo shows how it looked earlier in the week, and how calm she is in her warm salt baths.

 

[azygous]

Read through this article on prolapse causes and treatment. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ng-from-vent-prolapse-oh-my-what-to-do.76124/

If the prolapse has not fully resolved, it means there is still an obstruction. The dripping from her vent as she perches is also indicative of continuing obstruction. The calcium you are giving is correct but check that it's at least 600mg as any less will be inadequate.

Go ahead and start giving her the Doxy. This long for the prolapse to go unresolved may have given bacteria a foot hold.

 

[seven possums]

Three "petites" are 600mg, I had been giving two, somehow I misread the (tiny) label... Thank you. Going about her daily cleaning now, starting the doxy. Will update. Very much appreciate the help. I had read the article but am now keeping it in a tab for the time being. Worried sick.

 

[azygous]

If you can find Manuka honey at a health food store, it's medicinal. It's very thick and sticky and is a perfect dressing for prolapse. It will protect from bacteria while keeping the tissue from drying out.

You're doing everything possible. Try to trust that this will eventually resolve and your hen will be fine.

 

[Kiki]

Sorry you are having to deal with this. Daily treats 8s not a good idea. It takes away from the bird getting a balanced diet and that alone causes issues like this and worse.

Get rid of the cracked corn and start offering treats only once a week instead of daily.
Also make sure what ever treat you are offering isn't more than a tablespoon worth. If it is, you are for sure over feeding treats.

 

[seven possums]

Daily treats 8s not a good idea. It takes away from the bird getting a balanced diet and that alone causes issues like this and worse.

Get rid of the cracked corn and start offering treats only once a week instead of daily.

Sorry, I didn't phrase that clearly; they get layer pellets, oyster shell & a small amount of greens daily, and corn/bug treats occasionally, usually for training, certainly not daily and not a lot at a time. My open hand only holds a tablespoon so two tablespoons between 4 chooks is hopefully reasonable. Thank you for the info.

 

[seven possums]

Here are Magnolia's progress pics from last night's bath & cleaning, pre- and post- manual reducing. It's a lot smaller than it was at first. She's very calm in her warm epsom salt soaks, I barely have to keep a hand on her, probably because it's been cold & rainy. She is producing cecal stool with (seemingly?) slightly more difficulty than the white. Continuing with daily calcium cit 3 petites, doxycycline started last night, a chunk of coconut oil PO, and lube/ointment. I think I felt an egg in there last night but I hope not...
I have local raw honey on hand but can look for affordable manuka.
I also took video of her vent pulsing after reduction which I can post to YT if that's informative; I've tried the ice application to get her to pucker instead of push and it seems like the posterior lip of her vent is slightly swollen/edemous.
Thanks to all who've read or commented, it's much appreciated. She's active, eating, energetic, I'm really hoping to get her through this and that her previous neglect/abuse hasn't condemned her to incurable recurrence.

 

[seven possums]

Try to trust that this will eventually resolve and your hen will be fine.

Update: So far so good!
Magnolia's prolapse has receded and stayed put for a few days now. She's back in with her flock, eating and pooping and acting her old self again. She has not started laying again yet, (and I do check for eggbound) but honestly if she never starts again I'm fine with that, less likely to recur. Fingers crossed her insides stay inside for good.
After roughly 18 days of treatment including:

• Immediate sugar-paste applied to swollen prolapse when first found, which drew out fluid & reduced swelling significantly
• 600mg calcium citrate+D daily (three "petite" tabs)
• Trimming feathers that were trapping stool
• Daily Epsom salt + warm water soaks/baths/cleaning, blowdried on low after
• Triple antibiotic ointment protectant/lubricant on the irritated skin & exposed tissues & when reducing the prolapse manually while still red/raw
• Cortisone cream applied into vent w/manual reduction after triple-anti stopped
• Coconut oil solid chunks given orally + applied topically around her vent
• 0.2ml doxycycline daily for 7 days
• Confinement to hospital crate in the house, covered w/towel

The crate was lined with a chux pad which made cleanup quick and easy. She very much preferred the 'roost' in the crate, which was nice because that way she wasn't standing/sitting in stool thus her rear was much cleaner.

Thanks @azygous and all of you who've contributed to the many threads & articles that helped get her through this. In the ~25 years I've on&off raised or cared for chickens, I'd been lucky enough never to have had to deal with a prolapse until now; sure, I'd read about it plenty but it's not the same when you're suddenly presented with it in your own flock. I hope this thread is of help to others in the future.

 

[seven possums]

Just dropping back in to update, Magnolia pulled through wonderfully; she's gained enough to finally reach a healthy weight, eventually started laying again and hasn't had a recurrence (checking her vent may have become a bit of a neurosis, but all four of them get checked now as part of daily/weekly routines or immediately if something seems off.)

Possibly as a result of all the handling and personal attention, she's gone from fleeing, fearful new adoptee to bold as brass, showing off how smart she is, and is now the first one to learn new tricks if there's a dried bug to be had. Her newest is hopping up on my arm and riding around on my wrist like a hawk

A prolapse doesn't have to be a death sentence, with a little luck and a lot of good care thanks to the advice and articles by folks on this forum. Thanks all!
@azygous @Kiki