Chicken with discharge

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Hi everyone. We recently took in 5 chickens from an elderly gentleman who had kept them in a pen - no idea how old they are. We have 20 or so other hens, all free range. This one chicken is small and red with a few white feathers underneath the red ones - no idea what breed she is. Up until now she's been fine and running around with all the others, being fed on corn and mash with the odd treat of fruit and lettuce etc that the others get. She's recently had a white, smelly discharge from her bottom and I'm not sure how to treat it or what is causing it. I've isolated her in a pen for now - she's eating and drinking just fine and is perky and not showing any signs of reduced appetite, lethargy etc. I clipped the feathers from around her bottom and put yoghurt around the area - after cleaning it with water. When I picked her up this morning the whole area is now red raw and the discharge is still there. Any suggestions would be greatly welcome. :) Thanks
 
Any unusual discharge, especially combined with an unpleasant odour usually indicates an infection of some sort. If the discharge is from her vent I would suspect that maybe it is egg-related. It would be advisable to take her to a vet for a good check internally, and I would imagine they will prescribe a course of antibiotics.

Does her tummy feel a bit different form from the other hens? Check for signs of heat, swelling or a "tightness"

Good luck with her, it may help to submerge her in a nice warm saline bath for a good 15mins, this will help her eject anything by relaxing her muscles as well as help cleanse.
 
Hi foxy. We've just checked her again this morning - there's no heat, swelling or tightness - the same discharge and red raw all round her back and the tops of her legs. Am I right to keep putting yoghurt on her for now? It really doesn't feel like she's egg bound and she's showing no other signs of being poorly. Can't get her to the vet's until Monday. Shall I try the saline bath or will that really hurt her red parts?
 
Hi there - sorry for the delay in replying ncotb - I've been poorly! Bonnie, the red hen, is still in the pen. Took her to the vet's and he diagnosed a urinary tract infection - gave her an injection and put her on antibiotics for two weeks. He suggested we shave (?) her bottom area so we've been cutting away at her feathers as a horrible crust was developing. The redness has calmed down and her tail feathers are now up. She's never shown any other signs of illness but the vet told us to keep her in the pen for another week and bring her back next Monday. Poor little thing - I hate seeing her in that pen as that's all she ever knew in her previous home. We'll keep on giving her the antibiotics and cutting the feathers round her bottom. I know I sound soft but I've been throwing corn for the other hens right next to her pen so she has company! We'll take her back to the vet's next Monday and see what he says - hopefully she'll be able to escape her prison soon xx
 
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