After butchering 2 hens, found many eggs in them

[messianicmom]

We just butchered two of our hens today. They were ornery ones and not layers, either; one over 2 yrs. and one a over a year. When my husband was cleaning them out,
he found 5 eggs/yolks in one and 3 in the other. I wonder if it's more than just coincidence.

Can anyone tell me if there could be something that we are doing or not doing, to contribute to them being eggbound?

Does giving mineral oil internally help "push" them out? I don't want to butcher any more hens that could be laying.

Thanks for your help,
Rachel

 

[ralleia]

How do you know that these hens were not laying regularly?

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I cannot imagine mineral oil helping unless you give it as an enema. "Down the hatch" would just pass through the GI tract. You would need to go "up the chute" and aim properly at that.

 

[drumstick diva]

If they were so ornery maybe it was from having so many eggs stuck inside - doesn't sound like fun.

 

[messianicmom]

Quote:
Because we'd had them separated in another run for quite a while; plus they were rarely on the nest when they were in with the rest.
That includes this year and last. We (my very involved children and myself) were able to monitor the egg laying by them.
Rachel

 

[La Mike]

Quote:
What exactly did you find ? Egg sacks that were forming ? If that's the case your hens were most likely getting gears toward laying. It's not un common to find premature to mature eggs in a hen when processing.