Rusty has another wash

This was Rusty’s bottom yesterday. I have never seen it so mucky. It was a cool day and rained most of the day but the next day was forecast to be warm and sunny so I decided to wait until then to wash her again.

Rusty with a very mucky bottom

I took the bowl of warm water with a little washing up liquid into the run and set it up on top of the nest box. I thought it would be less stressful for Rusty than bringing her indoors. I stood her in the bowl and washed her bottom then dried her as best as I could with a soft tea towel.

Rusty after having her bottom washed

Rusty perched on the shelter and preened herself. She looks bedraggled because of her damp feathers but she cleaned up much easier this time. I hope that once she dries properly she will stay clean.

I checked back on her a little later and was so thrilled to see that she now has a lovely fluffy bottom. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to see this. I just hope she stays like this then I will really know that she is back to her usual self once more.

Rusty has a fluffy bottom once more

while I was researching about causes for hens to prolapse I read that an extra large or misshapen egg can cause a prolapse. While taking some eggs from the fridge this morning for breakfast I was reminded that we had two extra long eggs. They were no bigger round than usual but about twice the usual length. At the time I had no idea which girl had laid them.

I am now wondering, in hindsight, if they were Rusty’s eggs. By a process of elimination I think they could well be. I know that Freckles had laid on the day of the first one. Apricot lays the tiniest of eggs, Cinnamon lays larger, oval shaped and slightly beige coloured, eggs, and always lays them in the corner of the chicken shed and Dandelion has been laying eggs with a thin shell. This egg had a hard shell.

What seems odd is that I found these two eggs several days before Rusty appeared to go broody and then she laid one normal egg as she often does on the day she starts to go broody. It was the next morning that I saw the prolapse.

I can only speculate but I think perhaps these two long eggs may have lead up to her prolapse. I also read that because of the prolapse it is more difficult to poop and I think that’s why she has been getting a mucky bottom. This morning before I washed her it didn’t seem quite as bad as the day before so I am hopeful that that will also improve.

Rusty in herself is looking very much normal, active, eating and running to treats, dust bathing and preening and chasing away the lower ranking girls. She also has a red face and comb. I am feeling more positive now that she can get over this.