Is this some sort of oviduct prolapse ?

[Pascal Hua]

Hello,

I am relatively new to backyard chicken (and this forum) and have only three. So, I would greatly appreciate some help/any suggestion.

This "hanging" thing coming out from the back was noticed this morning, please see attached picture. She did not rush on the food this morning but was wondering around with the other two.

She has been laying eggs in the last couple of weeks (after 2-3 weeks of “nesting”). One point we noticed 48 hours ago was something that looked like an "shell-less" yolk on the floor of the coop. No broken shell next to it. Very strange. so of course, today I make the link between the two.

I isolated the chicken this morning, put her in a large god carrying case, with food and drink, in the relative obscurity, a place perch and inside the garage (bit warmer than outside where it is about 40F and rain/snow). I will see latter if she ate something or not.

What you guys think it might be? AND is there anything to be done?

Thanks,


Pascal.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is a an egg membrane hanging from her vent where a thin shelled egg has broken inside. I would gently pull it out. Clean up her bottom with a warm soak in soapy water. Then dry her thoroughly and keep her inside until she is totally dry. Give her some calcium to help strengthen her shells. Is she on layer feed with some oyster shell available in a separate container? She may have something affecting her egg shells if she is getting plenty of calcium, such as a problem with her shell gland, or having had a respiratory virus infectious bronchitis in her past. Keep an eye on her for more problems. Some might use an antibiotic such as amoxicillin just to treat her for any infection in her oviduct.

 

[azygous]

That recently happened to one of my older hens. I saw her pass the broken soft shell egg so there was no doubt what had happened and to whom.

I followed up with a round of amoxicillin and calcium citrate to head off any possibility of infection caused by the event. An egg breaking inside is not to be taken lightly.

 

[Pascal Hua]

You guys are "on the dot". I just went down to check on her and found the expulsed soft shell but unfortunately a soft egg also! So either those two are one event or I have to be on the lookout for another soft shell to pass. But I know what to work on. They are sea shells in the feed we give them and I do have oyster shells but have been lazy in giving them lately. We will start with this. And keep a close eye on her. She is clearly feeling better, she ate most of the food and seem to be ready to get out. A side question: in what form to you give Amoxicillin ? Dose ?

 

[azygous]

250 mg solid pill form. I get my antibiotics from KVSupply. They're fish meds, but they are still the same antibiotics. https://www.kvsupply.com/Search.aspx?query=Fish-Pen 250mg 60ct

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give 250mg of amoxicillin a day, but I would split it into 2 doses of 125mg twice a day. I put mine in a bit of egg, liverwurst, or turkey meat. FishMox is good as Azygous’ link shows. You can give a human calcium tablet, Tums, or crushed egg shells as well to give calcium.