Lash egg? How to help?

[golfergirl07]

Hello,

My hen, Missee, has had quite the couple weeks. She is going through a moly and has lots of pin feathers on her underside. About three weeks ago, Missee laid a rubber egg and the next day laid a thin-shelled egg. I’ve been giving her aspirin as instructed by my vet and then gave her three doses of sulfa antibiotic from Tuesday through Thursday. On Thursday night, Missee was just standing around, refusing food. I put her back on the aspirin, gave her an Epsom salt bath, blow-dried her and gave her some electrolytes in water, mixed with calcium because I feared that she was egg bound. Thankfully, the last couple of days have proven that she’s not egg bound- I’ve checked. Last night, she laid a lash egg (I think?) but it came out with her stool. Do any of you experts have an idea as to how to help Missee? I love her dearly and want to do everything I can to help her. I’ve attached a picture of what I think was the lash egg.

 

[golfergirl07]

Hello,

My hen, Missee, has had quite the couple weeks. She is going through a moly and has lots of pin feathers on her underside. About three weeks ago, Missee laid a rubber egg and the next day laid a thin-shelled egg. I’ve been giving her aspirin as instructed by my vet and then gave her three doses of sulfa antibiotic from Tuesday through Thursday. On Thursday night, Missee was just standing around, refusing food. I put her back on the aspirin, gave her an Epsom salt bath, blow-dried her and gave her some electrolytes in water, mixed with calcium because I feared that she was egg bound. Thankfully, the last couple of days have proven that she’s not egg bound- I’ve checked. Last night, she laid a lash egg (I think?) but it came out with her stool. Do any of you experts have an idea as to how to help Missee? I love her dearly and want to do everything I can to help her. I’ve attached a picture of what I think was the lash egg.


*Edit:
Missee is 3 and a half years old, approximately 5 pounds and I think she is a Rhode Island Red.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like Missee may be suffering from an oviduct inflammation called salpingitis. Antibiotics may help if given early, but usually when lash eggs are seen, it may be too late. Your sulfa meds may help treat that since salpingitis can be a result of several possible bacteria, including E.coli, which sulfonamides do treat. Offer some probiotic buttermilk, plain greek yogurt in a smaal amount, or Probios Powder a few days per week to help her gut bacteria get back to normal.

What do you feed your chickens? I would use a little extra protein now, perhaps a Flock Raiser type feed with crushed oyster shell available in a separate container for free feeding.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

On Thursday night, Missee was just standing around, refusing food.

Sorry you face this, and for your gal. Hydration may be more important than food to sustaining her life.

Do any of you experts have an idea as to how to help Missee? I love her dearly and want to do everything I can to help her.

It sounds like she is having an awful time. I am NO expert, just a caring person with some experience. It seems as though you are doing all you can... sometimes considering euthanasia is the kindest thing for the animal despite being the most difficult for us. A link to show when it might be a good consideration... Sorry for being the one to mention it.
HowDoIKnowWhen

I think you are right about that being a lash egg. And I agree with eggcessive about using flock raiser with OS on the side for active layers. During molt she should not be actively laying... even though her body is coating the lash eggs.

Hope she improves and feels better!

 

[golfergirl07]

Thank you for your replies! We were in the middle of a blizzard so my vet was snowed in yesterday. I went to the feed store per my vet to get medicated feed and oxytetracycline. Missee has had two injections of it, on top of some electrolyte water. Missee ate a spoonful of oatmeal this morning and some treats. Regularly, I feed her Nutrena later pellets and just recently switched to feather fixer. She seems to be doing better. I’m hoping and praying that she pulls through.

 

[Eggcessive]

What is the medicated feed for? The only medicated feed I know of is the kind with small amount of amprollium. That won’t treat anything. They used to sell feed with chlortetracycline, but I think that is no longer allowed since 2017 FDA laws removed most oral antibiotics.

Good to hear that she ate some today.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[micstrachan]

Sorry about your hen. For her to have a chance again at salpingitis, I believe an aggressive treatment woukd be required. How long is the course of chlortetracycline? Are you giving the injections or did the vet?

 

[golfergirl07]

Great news!

Missee has basically made a full recovery - with the exception of her refusing her layer feed!! Long story short, my dad and I have her injections of .5 ml of tetracycline twice a day from Saturday through Wednesday. Saturday’s dose was just once. On Tuesday, my vet and I decided to start her on 5 mg of prednisone twice a day to help with swelling. Although the tetracycline helped the antibiotic, she really kicked into gear after we started the prednisone. Today is her last dose of prednisone twice a day and will go to once per day for a week starting tomorrow.
Missee is happy, running around the yard, and eating almost anything - just not her layer feed yet!

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad to hear that she is doing much better.