Help! What is wrong here?

[greggooo]

Our sweet hen, Sweetums passed a lash egg a couple of weeks ago. The vet put her on antibiotics and meloxicam, an anti-inflammatory.

She started pooping this, the light brown gelatin-type stuff. Our main aviary vet is out of town for thew holidays, the other vets see chickens and are very good, but they have no idea what this is. Possibly salpingitis they say? She is back on the anti-inflammatory.

Does anybody Know what this is and what to do? She has been pooping it for a couple of days.

 

[azygous]

I had a hen die of salpingitis on Christmas day. She had been passing big chunks of the stuff you are seeing in your hen's poop. Unfortunately, once you see such large amounts of the pus material, representing a massive infection in the reproductive system, there isn't much chance an antibiotic will make a difference.

You can go ahead and complete the course of antibiotic, but if your hen continues to become sicker and weaker instead of improving, you might consider ending her suffering. I was prepared to euthanize my hen on Christmas when she spared me this unpleasant task by dying on her own.

 

[Mobleymoon]

How do they get this infection? I have 2 Roos and 5 hens. The Roos and 4 of the 5 are just 15 wks. What were the signs and symptoms? What do I look for? If its an infection in the "egg" system, can it be the Roo's fault? Can they be a carrier and not show any signs? I pay so much attention to upper respiratory issues because of the massive powdery dust. I swear there has got to be a better way to handle and control this dirty dust. How did you know which hen was sick? (unless you saw her pass it, forgive my stupidity) I am so sorry for your loss I wish I could help.

 

[coach723]

I recently lost one that had similar stuff passing. She had a massive oviduct infection with an abscessed ovary that likely became septic. This was found on necropsy (informal, done by me). I've lost several to salpingitis, none have responded to treatment, though I have tried. It just doesn't usually respond, it's usually advanced before they show signs it's there, so it's really easy to miss early on. I generally leave them with the flock as long as they seem comfortable and doing normal chicken things, once they go off food/water, isolate themselves, get attacked by the flock, or show any other signs of generally not feeling well anymore, I euthanize. I'm so sorry.

 

[azygous]

How do they get this infection? I have 2 Roos and 5 hens. The Roos and 4 of the 5 are just 15 wks. What were the signs and symptoms? What do I look for? If its an infection in the "egg" system, can it be the Roo's fault? Can they be a carrier and not show any signs? I pay so much attention to upper respiratory issues because of the massive powdery dust. I swear there has got to be a better way to handle and control this dirty dust. How did you know which hen was sick? (unless you saw her pass it, forgive my stupidity) I am so sorry for your loss I wish I could help.

Salpingitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection. The bacteria can differ. E.coli and Mycoplasma Galisepticum are a couple of examples. How does the infection occur? Low immune system responses is common. It can be by sexual transmission or from overall filthy living conditions. Human women get this, too. No, the males don't get it, or rarely.

You probably won't see any outward signs a hen is infected until you see that first little "lash egg". Egg production from the hen has probably ceased by that time. You might be able to fight the infection with an antibiotic if you manage to catch it very early. But by the time your hen is acting sick, lethargic, no appetite, fluffed up, it's probably too late to halt the progress of the infection.

 

[NatJ]

How did you know which hen was sick? (unless you saw her pass it, forgive my stupidity)

Various ways. If you've got only a few chickens, you tend to notice things about individuals. This is especially true if they're not all the same breed.

You may know which hen lays which egg: blue, green, white, light brown, dark brown, small or large, pointy or round.

For the poop, you may see the hen do it, or you may find it under the roost in the morning. Some chickens roost in the same place each night, and other times the owner looked in while they were sleeping and saw who was where. Once they're settled and it gets dark, they usually stay put until it gets light again.
If you close the coop after dark, and you notice that a specific hen is at the end of the row, and then in the morning you find something strange at that end of the row--you've got a pretty good idea who it came from.

Edit: I forgot to mention: if a hen seems sick, it's common to isolate her from the rest--which makes it really easy to know what's going in/coming out of her!

 

[Mobleymoon]

Thanks! I hate a dirty coop. But its an everyday event. Another reason to do it often and do it right. These girls aren't laying yet (14 wks.) They like acting like kids, running and pretending to be hawks and flying into groups just to make them scatter. I swear I think I can hear them laughing with such fun. I love my birds, every one of them!

 

[Eggcessive]

These articles explain quite a bit about what causes salpingitis, the bacteria involved, and how the bacteria get there:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/salpingitis

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system/salpingitis-in-poultry

https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

 

[Kathy Golla]

Sorry your hen is ill @greggooo. Hang in there.