strange little "doughy" egg

I went to the coop the other day and found in a nesting box what looked like a very pale colored egg (slightly smaller than usual). Upon further inspection, it wasn't really an egg. No shell, it looked like someone had made a pie crust and rolled it up in the shape and size of an egg. It was fairly firm. I cut it open and it was solid, nothing liquid at all. You could see what resembled maybe what was going to be a yolk, in one end of it, a sort of separate sort of circular rings, slightly darker than the rest. And then just yesterday, I went in again and there was another one there. But this time, did NOT resemble and egg in shape, it really looked like a ball of pie crust dough, much smaller, same color, but not smoothly round, but mis-shapen. When i cut into this one could not distinguish the round "yolk". And no eggs from her in between the two doughy eggs. I think some in the flock are molting right now (in addition to the decrease in light) egg production is way down

So what could this be any ideas?? Has anyone seen this before? How worried should I be about this??
kelliej

It's called a lash egg. It could be a sign of reproductive issues in the hen.

Welcome to BYC.

Sorry, I agree it's a lash egg and could be serious genetic malfunction/infection in bird.
Try to find who is laying it and isolate her for observation, meanwhile read up on lash eggs.
Here's a start to your research:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

Have to give you kudos on your description tho, it was excellent.

Check out this article. Good luck!

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

Well thats not good news, but thank you all for your input and knowledge. I wonder if I should euthanize her now or just wait and see. I only have 5 hens total, her, 2 white hens that are laying every other day and 2 brown ones that have not been laying for a while now. Those 2 brown ones recently went through a molt, but they have all there feathers back now, so I was hoping they would start laying again pretty soon. But we are in Maine, its cold I do give them about 3-4 extra hours of artificial light, so hopefully they are just "resting". I hate the thought of culling the whole flock, even if it small.

Thanks again!!

kelliej said:

Well thats not good news, but thank you all for your input and knowledge. I wonder if I should euthanize her now or just wait and see. I only have 5 hens total, her, 2 white hens that are laying every other day and 2 brown ones that have not been laying for a while now. Those 2 brown ones recently went through a molt, but they have all there feathers back now, so I was hoping they would start laying again pretty soon. But we are in Maine, its cold I do give them about 3-4 extra hours of artificial light, so hopefully they are just "resting". I hate the thought of culling the whole flock, even if it small.

Thanks again!!

Click to expand...

I would pinpoint who is laying that egg and just watch her.
See if she continues to lay lash eggs or not, see if she appears to be ill or not.

I don't know if what caused/causes lash egg is contagious......
.....do more reading up on it, balance the info out before deciding how to proceed.

Yes, thanks I was definitely going to do some more research on it, what causes it and certainly how contagious it is, and watch her, thanks.

kelliej said:

Yes, thanks I was definitely going to do some more research on it, what causes it and certainly how contagious it is, and watch her, thanks.

Click to expand...

Lash eggs are not contagious, they are infections in the reproductive tract. I'd watch her and see if she continues laying them. If she gets to where she is not doing well, then I'd consider culling her.

Your others should start back up once they get their weight back to a healthy level. Molting takes a lot out of them and they can lose a lot of weight.

kelliej said:

Yes, thanks I was definitely going to do some more research on it, what causes it and certainly how contagious it is, and watch her, thanks.

Click to expand...

Welcome to BYC!

Not contagious, and can sometimes it can be treated with antibiotics if it's caught early early enough. Would be best to have a vet look at her if can. FWIW, I had a duck with it and after treatment she laid a normal clutch of eggs.

-Kathy

@kelliej, I found this link helpful:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/134/salpingitis/

-Kathy