EYP Prevention?

[ia02]

last night while locking my chickens in the coop I noticed that one of them laid a soft-shelled egg off the roost. I was able to determine which chicken it was because my Brahma had a small trail of yolk coming out of her vent and the broken egg was under her. It is unclear whether the egg broke when it hit the ground or whether it broke inside of her and she laid the empty shell and the egg white/yolk separately, but the small amount of yolk on her vent feathers makes me think it could have broken while she was laying it.

Below is a photo of what she laid.

This morning I did a quick External examination of her. I noticed some swelling of the lower abdomen which could be consistent with egg binding or egg yolk peritonitis. She is walking, eating, and drinking completely normally. Had I not noticed this broken egg I probably would not suspect there was anything wrong with her.

At this point she's obviously not eggbound, but I am wondering if there is anything I can do to prevent EYP? Thanks in advance.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

I don't know any prevention method for EYP.

I do know that sometimes softees happen as a basic hiccup when entering or exiting lay as part of the reproductive system working out its' kinks.

Best prevention I can think of is maintaining good nutrition and not offering too many nutrient deficient yet high energy (calorie) treats like corn and such, in order to maintain proper wieght. Even though most feed is made with corn, it is fortified.

 

[ia02]

In general I know these prevention strps. My chickens free range all day, are offered quality layer feed and oyster shell. They are give very little treats. I feel like I have a decent handle on the basic nutritional situation. That being said, it's clear that she probably needs more calcium than she's had recently.

I'm asking about the specific situation I'm in now. Is there anything I can do to TREAT this hen to prevent further infection resulting from the possiblity that the egg broke inside her.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

How old is your girl? I honestly don't think she needs more calcium with the feeding you described. The oyster shell is absorbed into the keel bone where the calcium is then redistributed to the shell gland that layers it on during that portion on it's journey through the oviduct. Hens will sacrifice their own calcium from their bodies to lay an intact egg before softees start. Brahma being a heavier breed and heavier feathered, (feathers are made of 90% protein, the amino acids that are in it) I would think she might need more protein... (one typo says 5-17% and it should say 15-17%)...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf

Too much calcium fed long term, can (doesn't mean will) cause gout or kidney failure.

Some people give a warm epsom salt bath for various reason including wound treatment and such, like a 15-20 minutes soak. I don't know if that will have any effect on the oviduct which is internal and turns inside out when it lays the egg in order to keep it from being in contact with the rectum. (at least that is my understanding) But it would at least get her cleaned up on the surface to not invite any more issues.

So this had NO hard shell cracks left behind but the breaking inside you are worried about would be like a balloon popping? Or was there hard shells that may have caused some cutting? Their bodies have great healing properties. Also, I do suspect time of year might have an effect since laying hormone is light triggered and days are getting shorter now.

Though EYP does happen, try not to worry too much because hiccups do also. You seem to have a good eye for paying attention and that'll take you a long way! If it makes you feel better maybe offer probiotics like plain yogurt (or greek). They make poultry packs as well that they sell. Just don't supplement for more than 10 days, usually. Scrambled egg is a favorite high protein snack as well as meal worms. I keep those to occasional because of fat content.

Also, these thing go by that front page kinda fast. So you might wanna bump it now and then, so maybe you can get some more helpful input.

 

[ia02]

Thanks for the insight. Yes, my concern was that maybe the soft egg ruptured inside her and the yolk could create a breeding ground for infection. I lost another hen to confirmed EYP earlier this year so I'm trying to be proactive with this situation. As best as I can tell, the shell looked complete so I'm not overly concerned about leftover pieces or shall fragments causing internal damage.

My largest concern is the abdominal swelling, which is a known symptom of infection. I'll definitely keep an eye on her and inspect her for signs of distress a few times a day. But, as I said she was and is acting totally normally so if I'd not seen this egg I would have no obvious cause for concern.

Perhaps this is a wait and see type situation.