Red sore, like eczema, below vent. Advice please!

[CumberlandCoop]

Hi all, over the last few days we have noticed a red, eczema style sore develop a couple of centimeters south of the vent on one of our hens. I have attached a picture. Despite how it looks it's fairly dry and scaly. She is a large, black Australorpe. She is also quite heavy. She's very skittish so we don't handle her very often, so I'm not sure if she is heavier than usual or not.

 

[dawg53]

It looks as though she may have had a minor prolapse and was able to retrieve the exposed tissue. In case there are fissures or cracks in the reddened skin, I recommend cleansing the area with 50/50 betadine and water mixture, pat dry and then apply neosporin. Then Keep an eye on the area and watch for prolapse when she deficates or especially when she lays an egg, then apply a hemorrhoid ointment.
Also keep an eye out for other birds picking and pecking at her rear end.
I also recommend cleaning and removing feces in feathers around the vent area and check for lice and mites as well as lice eggs attached to feather shafts. Do this first before treating her reddened area.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you see any lice moving around on the skin? It looks like some lice eggs connected to the base of the feathers. Permethrin 10 spray is effective for lice, used every 10 days. This product below either Gordons or Martins is sold at Tractor Supply in 8 ounce containers for $7.99, and will mix with water to mix many gallons to use with a spray bottle or garden sprayer. The dust is also available.

 

[CumberlandCoop]

Thanks dawg53 and eggcessive. Great to get your thoughts. I don't think it's prolapse as its quite a bit below the vent. Here are some much better pictures. We just gave her a bath and you can see the red patch below her vent. We've looked hard for eggs like you suggested, but don't think we can see any, close up included.

 

[dawg53]

That is scald from urates in feces. You'll need to clean her rear end more often or trim back feathers and fluff so that she'll have a clear "shot" to the ground when she poops. Do not trim them back too close, just a little.
Apply Nu-Stock to the area and the redness will clear up in no time. It should be in the equine section at a feed store.