Hen just laid shell-less egg and has something stuck in cloaca

[cheechmo]

One of my hens just laid an egg without a shell and now has something sticking out of her cloaca. I'm not sure if this is part of the reproductive system or if it's just a membrane from the shell-less egg. I just gave her a warm bath in the hopes of her pushing it out herself and then I tried to assist getting it out, but she was not liking it. Help!

 

[Eggcessive]

That is an egg membrane from the egg. Gently try to pull it out. You may want to give her half a Tums or calcium tablet the next couple days to help make her shells stronger.

 

[cheechmo]

Thank you! So as I was inside posting this, she apparently pushed it out herself. And probably ate it, because I don't see it anywhere. Should I give her the Tums even if they have a dish of oyster shells that are freely available?

 

[Eggcessive]

Chickens will eat the membranes, and that is why we may miss them. Another chicken may have spotted it and pulled it out too. Yes, she may not have been taking enough of the oyster shell, but this will be a way to find out if the problem was a calcium deficiency. She also may have something wrong with her shell gland in her oviduct.

 

[aart]

How old is she and how long has she been laying?
What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[cheechmo]

She’s two years old, been laying nearly every day for a year and a half. They have layer pellets and oyster shells freely available at all times. And they are let out to free range in my yard whenever I am home. The other three I have were locked in the run while this was going on, so she had to be the one who ended up eating it.

 

[aart]

She’s two years old, been laying nearly every day for a year and a half. They have layer pellets and oyster shells freely available at all times. And they are let out to free range in my yard whenever I am home. The other three I have were locked in the run while this was going on, so she had to be the one who ended up eating it.

Is she just coming back into lay after molting and winter break?
Can get some funky eggs before and after those times.

 

[cheechmo]

She had slowed down a bit during winter, but was still laying probably every 2-3 days.

 

[aart]

She had slowed down a bit during winter, but was still laying probably every 2-3 days.

Odd for a 2 year old bird.
Did she molt last fall?
I'm assuming you live in the northern hemisphere.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!