Egg Binding Death

Hi all, I'm here to try and understand. I will ask my question first, then tell you about my girl. She's been unwell for a few days. She is 4-5 years old, figured she was getting older and tired. Went to give her a hug before we closed the coop today and checked her for eggbinding. Well, there were what felt like two different lumps, like huge eggs. I went up the vent and felt hardness like an egg but with tissue between it and my finger. I could not go around it, like a stuck egg. I went to put her back outside and she flapped and jumped down from my arms, and started staggering. I set her on the porch, got another glove and was checking again but this time her head fell and she passed away. Nothing I did, was just time. Well, as much as it hurt, I went in to see what it was and at first it looked like a tumor big as a baseball. Cutting further it looked like a huge cooked egg yolk and SMELLED BAD. Like rotten eggs. I could not go on. Does anyone know what would cause this? I'm guessing it's eggbinding but not like a giant egg was stuck, this seemed to be under the tube where the eggs come out.
Her name was Curly Joe. Named so because she was a big ball of fluffy curlyness when she dried after hatching. Her hatchmates, 2 of them, were Larry and Mo. When first hatched they were in the house under a lamp and supervision. For whatever reason Curly was my favorite so I held her a lot. Sweetest little thing. Well, I would put her back in the cage, go to the kitchen to wash my hands, turn around and she's behind me. I was like ooooh careless me, I forgot to shut the door. Ok so this happened EVERY time I put her away so I put her back and stood there watching her. At about a day old she did this....she would go to the back of the cage, get a running start, jump up and kick the door open, I **** you not. Like a little ninja chicken. How could you NOT love her?? SHe knew her name, and you could call her from across the yard and she would jump into your lap. I'm sad this happened but I suspect without surgery, perhaps this was something I could not have helped or fixed

I am so very sorry for your loss. What breed was Curly Jo? I don't really have any answers for you, but some types are more susceptible to reproductive problems.

SHe was a mix of an Americauna roo and something else. She laid green eggs. I did find this somehow, seems to be what it was. So I'm guessing treatable early on but not in her condition. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

blr8t2 said:

Hi all, I'm here to try and understand. I will ask my question first, then tell you about my girl. She's been unwell for a few days. She is 4-5 years old, figured she was getting older and tired. Went to give her a hug before we closed the coop today and checked her for eggbinding. Well, there were what felt like two different lumps, like huge eggs. I went up the vent and felt hardness like an egg but with tissue between it and my finger. I could not go around it, like a stuck egg. I went to put her back outside and she flapped and jumped down from my arms, and started staggering. I set her on the porch, got another glove and was checking again but this time her head fell and she passed away. Nothing I did, was just time. Well, as much as it hurt, I went in to see what it was and at first it looked like a tumor big as a baseball. Cutting further it looked like a huge cooked egg yolk and SMELLED BAD. Like rotten eggs. I could not go on. Does anyone know what would cause this? I'm guessing it's eggbinding but not like a giant egg was stuck, this seemed to be under the tube where the eggs come out.
Her name was Curly Joe. Named so because she was a big ball of fluffy curlyness. Her hatchmates, 2 of them, were Larry and Mo. When first hatched they were in the house under a lamp and supervision. For whatever reason Curly was my favorite so I held her a lot. Sweetest little thing. Well, I would put her back in the cage, go to the kitchen to wash my hands, turn around and she's behind me. I was like ooooh careless me, I forgot to shut the door. Ok so this happened EVERY time I put her away so I put her back and stood there watching her. At about a day old she did this....she would go to the back of the cage, get a running start, jump up and kick the door open, I **** you not. Like a little ninja chicken. How could you NOT love her?? SHe knew her name, and you could call her from across the yard and she would jump into your lap. I'm sad this happened but I suspect without surgery, perhaps this was something I could not have helped or fixed

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It sounds like Curly was quite a character, I'm so sorry for your loss

From your description and your further investigation, I would agree that she more than likely had Salpingitis.

Here's a couple of links showing home necropsy of suspected Salpingitis compared to Peritonitis.

Salpingitis/Lash Egg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...oring-i-opened-her-to-find-this#post_17145142

Suspected Egg Yolk Pertitonitis/Internal Laying:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1154532/egg-yolk-peritonitis#post_18103856

She was great. Weird thing is she has a "daughter" who looks just like her somehow, being all mixed up and all! She is also a people chicken and likes attention. Anyway thank you for the links. It was deffo not the peritonitis, it was salpingitis, which makes me feel better knowing there was nothing I could do. I will however, be dusting the rest of the flock for bugs and possibly giving antibiotics tomorrow. Will investigate further about the antibiotics before doing so, everyone else seems fine, but if in early stages.....better safe than sorry.

blr8t2 said:

She was great. Weird thing is she has a "daughter" who looks just like her somehow, being all mixed up and all! She is also a people chicken and likes attention. Anyway thank you for the links. It was deffo not the peritonitis, it was salpingitis, which makes me feel better knowing there was nothing I could do. I will however, be dusting the rest of the flock for bugs and possibly giving antibiotics tomorrow. Will investigate further about the antibiotics before doing so, everyone else seems fine, but if in early stages.....better safe than sorry.

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Giving antibiotics is up to you. But as you stated, do some research/reading. Using antibiotics prophylactically usually is not recommended. I understand you want to prevent it from happening again, and yes, sometimes, IF caught early, antibiotics can help control infection to a certain degree.

I wish you well and hope the rest of your flock stays happy and healthy.