Prob with chooks - vets / vet nurses / chook-lovers???

My three girls (Isa Browns) free-range and have been generally very healthy and happy. They went off the lay in winter and now it seems only one has started laying again (I'm wondering if it's the one not affected by what I'm about to describe). Two of them are now getting really horrible bums!! Sorry for the gross-out, but the poo is getting all caked up around their feathers just around the cloaca to the point that one of them was all blocked up with a big rock of dried poo - poor lil' chooka! I've had to trim back the poo-covered feathers and wash their bottoms under the tap (which I'm sure you can imagine they were not thrilled about), but 2 days on and it's happening again.

I've had chooks for four or five years and I've never had this happen before. It seems odd - especially in that it's happening to two of them so I'm wondering whether it's something environmental / diet related.

I will take them to the vet if it keeps up, but in the past he has been next to useless with the chooks (great with the dog though), and usually wants to refer me to a bird specialist which I can't afford. Thought I'd try here first... any ideas as to what's causing this and how I can treat / resolve it??

I'll ask my mum, she studied vet science at UQ Gatton. Not currently working. I'll ask my sis (vet nurse) when she gets back from her weekend away :)

ETA: This could be 'pasted vent', which can be a symptom of other things. Do you worm her?
Is it diarrhoea? What is the consistency and colour of the poo (before it dries)?
Do they have any other symptoms? Scabs, thinng feathers, any discharge? How do they sound? Are they moving around as normal? Any change in feed/living conditions?

I was a vet nurse and we have had chicken all my life. When ever our chicks have had this we have had to give anti b"s and also worm them. You get a powder to put on their bums too. We had this happen once and we just let it go and a few died so we generally always get the vet to any sick animals.
Hth.

Leash - firstly... EWWWWWWWW. Sorry, had to get that out before answering such questions.

* resumes mature, composed, matter-of-fact attitude *

Yeah, it's more watery than usual and lots stinkier. Variation in colour - it seems to vary anyway depending on what I feed them (food scraps, grain and pellets and whatever they find in the garden). No other symptoms that I can pick - eating well, lots of thick shiny feathers, healthy red comb. They have had a bit of a change in living conditions in that for the past week I've been locking them in their yard (still ample space I think at about 3m by 5m) to prevent them trashing my new seedlings. They also had a bit of a scare last week as DH got out the chainsaw and removed a small tree near their yard - poor girls hid under a bush for the next few hours!

Just found something on google called 'cloacitis' - hmmm, hoping it's not that, but it does seem similar. Ooh goody, if it is that, the treatment is not going to be fun for them or me!

If you get a chance to talk to your Mum or Sis that'd be great but please don't go out of your way - or theirs. Ta!

ETA: Thanks Jakabella, yeah, I'm thinking I'd better take them to the vet. Love em' but siiigh, animals are expensive!

We had to dip treat our at one stage.. Chooks hate that!! But it works especially if it's a parasite!

Jak - is there any way i can figure out whether it's a parasite, bacterial infection or other? Just trying to help the vet along by really understanding the symptoms as, like I said, he's not great with chooks. Reluctant to give them ABs if they don't need them as I know that you can get residual in the eggs for a long time and means I can't give the eggs away (in case they reach someone who is allergic to penicillin). I do worm them, but not as consistently as i could, so I might try this next.

The vet can take a sample of the poo and do some tests to see if its a parasite.

Hi,you could try here Backyard Poultry by Andy Vardy
There are heaps here who can help you
Good Luck

There is a bird vet close to me. Not sure if he charges as a "specialist", let me know if you want his number.

And ewww!

Thanks Shelley, I've just posted all the icky details on that forum, so hopefully some other may have inspiration (well, as much as you can from descriptions of chook poo!).

Lu, I think I'm looking at a vet-visit and there's really no point going to our local guy. I'm 99% sure he'll say "ooh, that's interesting! Let's put her on some antibiotics and see if it helps" "... now please empty your wallet and hand over your first-born":doh:. I'd love the details of your 'bird vet' if you get a chance. Ta.