Chicken was lethargic for 1 day, quickly recovered, but now I find a Lash Egg

[cocoloco]

On April 20, we adopted an Easter Egger hen we call Grumpy. She free ranges in my yard with my rooster and 6 other hens. Her light green eggs always have a bumpy surface, otherwise they are delicious. 10 days ago she and 5 of my hens stopped laying - I figured it was the weather, temps were crazy - from 40 to 90 degrees 2 days in a row - then back to 40 - plus 2 weeks straight of rain - the yard was very muddy and wet. Last Sunday, she went into the coop early, after nesting for a long time earlier in the day. She was slightly lethargic and had diarrhea that was green and runny. She would drink but not eat. I caged her and kept her warm overnight - the next day I gave her rooster booster B12 and Probiotics, electrolytes, etc. Within 8 hours, she was running around free ranging eating, drinking and pooping like her old self. I continued with the vitamins/probiotics in all the water dispensers. I needed more feed so I chose, at this time, to buy the more expensive Purina Omega 3 feed - they all love it. After 3 days of normal, happy flock activity, I found a lash egg in her nesting box yesterday. Now I am at a loss. I do not know for sure that it came out of Grumpy. She and my 5 month old hen, Polly, use the same oversized box. Last week, my husband told me Polly came out of the coop with a membrane egg stuck to her butt - but Grumpy had been in the same box for 2 hours before her. Last night, I took note of where they were nesting - they were in 2 separate areas. When I opened the coop this morning, both birds were in the same box! When they cleared out, there was normal looking poop - and a membrane egg in the box. All day I've been watching - they are acting normal. Both came running along with the rest of the flock when I walked outside with some raisins - their favorite snack. I made an appointment for the vet for Monday just in case, but, it is $95 just to walk in the door. Should I assume the worst - Salpingitis - and try to head it off with antibiotics for both? I have vitamins, electrolytes, ACV, but only a bottle of clarithromycin and about 2 days worth of Amoxycillan when it comes to antibiotics.

 

[Eggcessive]

What did the lash egg look like? Did you cut it open? I was just wanting to make sure it was a lash egg, or possibly was it a malformed egg, shell-less egg, or a blip in her laying. Salpingitis, if it actually was a lash egg, can be treated early with antibiotics, but they don't always help. Baytril or enrofloxacin, which you can buy online if you cannot get a prescription for it, is one of the better ones to use. Even Baytril, which is banned for chickens in the US but used elsewhere and still sometimes quietly prescribed here, won't treat every bacteria. Casportpony has a thread called "baytril and enrofloxacin sources" that gives online sources where to buy it. She also has some threads about dosages. A friendly local vet who also treats your other animals might be helpful in prescribing a good broad spectrum antibiotic that treats E.coli and some of the other colon bacteria common in reproductive infections.

 

[cocoloco]

Hello - In the year since I first got chickens, I have seen membrane eggs and shell-less eggs - this one was different.

I am pretty sure this was a lash egg - it looked like a little Wonton or Peking Ravioli - here is a photo of it. I am saving it in the fridge to bring to the vet. ( Probably should cut it open to see the layers.) Re a local vet - the only one who will even deal with chickens is the most expensive one around - and she will never prescribe anything without a visit. I will definitely look up that thread by casportpony (who, by the way, has been most helpful in the past with some of my meatbird issues). I need to add Baytril and /or enrofloxacin to my chicken first aid kit. Thank you so much for responding.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, that certainly looks like a lash egg. Have you read the Chicken Chick articles on salpingitis and lash eggs? If not, Google "salpingitis" for 2 different articles.

 

[cocoloco]

The Chicken Chick articles were the first I read - and I came away thinking I needed to put the hen down immediately - they give very little hope. The part which states it's usually too late to save the chicken by the time a lash egg appears made me so sad. The next day I read a couple of other articles that encouraged antibiotics and giving the little girl a fighting chance - those made me feel a bit better. I would never want an animal to suffer but if you saw all my hens today - running around the yard, taking sand baths, basking in the sun - they all looked so happy and healthy - none looked distressed. I am aware, however, that a chickens' health can turn very quickly - I don't want to be complacent. I will concentrate on finding a proper antibiotic.

 

[Nina Bee]

The Chicken Chick articles were the first I read - and I came away thinking I needed to put the hen down immediately - they give very little hope. The part which states it's usually too late to save the chicken by the time a lash egg appears made me so sad. The next day I read a couple of other articles that encouraged antibiotics and giving the little girl a fighting chance - those made me feel a bit better. I would never want an animal to suffer but if you saw all my hens today - running around the yard, taking sand baths, basking in the sun - they all looked so happy and healthy - none looked distressed. I am aware, however, that a chickens' health can turn very quickly - I don't want to be complacent. I will concentrate on finding a proper antibiotic.

How are your girls doing? I'm going through something similar. Like you I've read Salpingitis is a death sentence, but I wonder why then do so many suggest getting an antibiotic. Looking for something to give me hope.