BROKEN EGG INSIDE VENT

[Chikenshiken]

This has never happened before but either my chicken broke an egg inside of her or she’s been laying eggs without shells.

She’s a 1 year old bantam hen and has been laying fine until today when I noticed she ran to lay an egg but there was a piece of egg membrane hanging out of her cloaca. I rushed her inside because I didn’t want the other hens to peck at it. It’s quite a big piece and she’s currently laying down in her cat crate to pass whatever’s inside her. It’s good she’s trying to get it out but what should I do if she can’t?! She doesn’t seem to have a prolapse or anything and while I’m waiting for her to lay whatevers inside her I want to make sure nothing goes wrong. Do I soak her? Flush her cloaca? If so how do I do that? Please help!!!

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

This has never happened before but either my chicken broke an egg inside of her or she’s been laying eggs without shells.

She’s a 1 year old bantam hen and has been laying fine until today when I noticed she ran to lay an egg but there was a piece of egg membrane hanging out of her cloaca. I rushed her inside because I didn’t want the other hens to peck at it. It’s quite a big piece and she’s currently laying down in her cat crate to pass whatever’s inside her. It’s good she’s trying to get it out but what should I do if she can’t?! She doesn’t seem to have a prolapse or anything and while I’m waiting for her to lay whatevers inside her I want to make sure nothing goes wrong. Do I soak her? Flush her cloaca? If so how do I do that? Please help!!!

I would give her a calcium supplement (calcium citrate if you have it or tums) which can help with both muscles contractions to pass the egg and with shell development if she is having shell-less eggs. I would give her a supplement daily until she is laying normally again. Keeping her in a warm humid environment like a steamy bathroom is also supposed to be beneficial in passing eggs. I don't think a flush would be helpful and could actually flush bacteria up her oviduct.

Egg yolk is an excellent medium for bacteria growth so when an egg breaks inside a hen I think it's a good idea to start her on antibiotics like amoxicillin to help prevent infection.