What is this?? My Hen laid these 2 days in a row....creepy...

[kperki]

Hi,
Two nights ago my hen went in the nesting box instead of going up on the roost. In the morning there was this weird rubbery thing and some egg yolk in there. The hens all acted fine. Then today I went to gather the eggs and in a mating box was another rubbery thing. I took it and opened it up and you could see almost like a piece of egg liner. All the pics are below and taken in my hand.

Does anybody know what this is and why it happens and anything I can do to prevent it?

Thanks!

 

[cmchickens]

Lash egg?

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

 

[Lady of McCamley]

x2
I'm sorry...the prognosis isn't good for your hen.
LofMc

 

[kperki]

Thank you for the info. Not what I was hoping to hear

 

[kperki]

Is this contagious? I have two flocks and I was hoping to integrate them soon...would antibiotics help or when the its at this stage its to late? Should this flock be treated with antibiotics?

I read the article and some others but was getting conflicting info on being contagious etc. thanks for your help

 

[aart]

How old is the hen?
She obviously has a major malfunction in her reproductive system.
Can be genetic and/or due to old age.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I would not integrate her with the other chickens but isolate her.

If it is bacterial caused it potentially could be contagious but nothing I've read indicates it has a high contagious factor...but if you have roosters you don't want to risk them spreading it to other flock members although I doubt she wants to mate....but others pecking at her and her pooing could potentially spread bacteria. Her immune system is depressed now so she is ripe to catch and pass other illnesses. The rule of thumb is always isolate any sick bird from your flock for the sick bird's protection and the flocks.

She needs to be isolated to be treated if you are of the mind to try to save her. Although what I've read states it won't help if too advanced, and usually by the time the hen is laying this it is advanced, she should be given a round of antibiotics like Tylan or Duramycin which you can get at the feed store, or taken to the vet with a sample of what she has laid. They can culture to see what the bacteria or infectant might be or offer a more specific antibiotic.

If it were my hen, I would cull her now as the vast majority never recover from this and it will likely scar her egg tract permanently making egg binding more likely and she has to be n pain.

I use 1/4 lb dry ice (add a little hot water to start the cloud) in a 5 gallon bucket for an easy exit. ..start cloud, add bird, add lid. They gulp once, flutter for about 20 sec and then are resting in peace. I place a styrofoam insert over the ice so the bird is not sitting on the ice.

Good luck.
LofMc

 

[kperki]

Hi,
Thanks for the info. I am not sure at this point which hen it is, I thought that it might be the one that went into the nest that night. I have her isolated but no lash egg again. She did lay a soft egg tonight with no she'll. This hen had a dislocated leg or some type of leg injury a couple months ago and I kept her in the kennel. I gave her Metacam at times for her leg. She was laying some big eggs after she started feeling better. She has been out doing really well for about 3 weeks. I have antibiotics for chickens called tetroxcine or something like that I will look up the ones you listed. She has been eating and acting so good I just am not sure if it is her. I am not sure of age as she is a rescue hen. Oh and no rooster in this flock.

Thank you for the info on the euthanasia. I need to figure that part out as I do not want any of my girls to ever suffer and have not known how to do it and tried to get info before if there was a pill etc. To use and nobody would help with that so I appreciate this.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Duramycin is Tetracyline, so that would be a broad based antibiotic. Tylan is something a bit different...forgot at the moment...but use what you have on hand.

If it is the same bird, it might be good to change antibiotics if she has been on the one for a bit as it may not be working, just a thought.

All you can do is trap nest to figure out the bird. If she is in the cage and you get no more in the coop...that says something even if you don't get a lash egg for a bit...She may be giving some soft eggs and then lash eggs.

I really like the dry ice method...no blood, no struggle with the bird, and they are unconscious with the first good gulp...after that the fluttering is muscular reaction rather than true struggle.

Be sure to build the cloud well before placing bird in bucket, and leave a little crack in the lid to vent the gas otherwise the pressure can build up such to blow the lid off.

I use the Home Depot orange 5 gallon bucket, but any bucket would work, like a cat litter bucket if it is large enough.

Good luck with her...maybe she'll surprise all of us and rally.
LofMc

 

[kperki]

Thank you for the info. Still nothing unusual here..fingers crossed!