Lash Egg?

[Mama KK]

I’m pretty sure it’s a lash egg but it was tossed before cutting open. It will be my first in eight years of hens if so. I have no clue which bird it could be from as they’re all acting fine. I do have an eight year old Barred Rock that was still laying on and off last year so possibly her?

We cleaned and disinfected the coop, anything else we need to do or know?

 

[alinas2010]

I’m pretty sure it’s a lash egg but it was tossed before cutting open. It will be my first in eight years of hens if so. I have no clue which bird it could be from as they’re all acting fine. I do have an eight year old Barred Rock that was still laying on and off last year so possibly her?

We cleaned and disinfected the coop, anything else we need to do or know?

That does look like a lash egg. Unfortunately by the time these get laid, the infection is usually too far advanced to effectively treat. Sometimes laying lash eggs will relieve pressure in the abdomen and the chicken who laid it will feel better for a while, but the infection is still present.

As for who laid it, do you have production breeds? How old are they? I would check everyone’s abdomen, easiest to do at bed time when everyone is on the roost. Feel in between their legs under the vent - does it feel like a water balloon, swollen on any? A lot of times a reproductive infection will present that way.

If you can deduce who laid it, you can start antibiotics, but they may not cure the infection completely. Most often they will buy a little time. Sometimes a few weeks, sometimes a few months and sometimes longer.

 

[Mama KK]

That does look like a lash egg. Unfortunately by the time these get laid, the infection is usually too far advanced to effectively treat. Sometimes laying lash eggs will relieve pressure in the abdomen and the chicken who laid it will feel better for a while, but the infection is still present.

As for who laid it, do you have production breeds? How old are they? I would check everyone’s abdomen, easiest to do at bed time when everyone is on the roost. Feel in between their legs under the vent - does it feel like a water balloon, swollen on any? A lot of times a reproductive infection will present that way.

If you can deduce who laid it, you can start antibiotics, but they may not cure the infection completely. Most often they will buy a little time. Sometimes a few weeks, sometimes a few months and sometimes longer.

Thank you for that information, I have a mix: 1 Barred Rock (the eight year old), 2 Speckled Sussex, 3 Easter Eggers and 3 Black Sex Links. My understanding of production breeds would only include my Easter Eggers and they're all laying normally. I tend to think it's the Barred since she's older. I will check them this evening.

I don't know much about lash eggs, is there any concern for my the other girls and/or the safety of eggs collected?

 

[alinas2010]

Thank you for that information, I have a mix: 1 Barred Rock (the eight year old), 2 Speckled Sussex, 3 Easter Eggers and 3 Black Sex Links. My understanding of production breeds would only include my Easter Eggers and they're all laying normally. I tend to think it's the Barred since she's older. I will check them this evening.

I don't know much about lash eggs, is there any concern for my the other girls and/or the safety of eggs collected?

Any sex links can be considered a high production breed, also, so add them to your list.

8 is a great age for a chicken! Good job with her. It could be her, does she lay still? Usually hens with reproductive infections will stop laying or start not laying as much as normal. I know that it is normal for an older hen to not lay as much, though.

A few other signs of reproductive issues also include going from laying regular eggs to laying oddly shaped eggs, cracked and mended eggs, spending too much time in the nesting box without laying anything, and eggs with really watery whites.

Any chicken who has an egg break in her or even partially in her, is at risk for a reproductive infection. So really it could be anyone, but they can be so Sneaky about hiding illnesses, so it’s tough to tell sometimes.

Lash eggs are pus that accumulates in the reproductive tract, usually the oviduct, I believe. They’re typically from a bacterial infection in the reproductive tract and aren’t anything contagious. When an egg breaks in or near the hen’s vent (or other part of the reproductive tract), it creates a nice warm breeding ground for bacteria. That bacteria can travel back up the vent and spread infection, causing the pus accumulation. The pus can be all over in the abdomen and sometimes causes swelling of the abdomen, even. Lash eggs are pus from the oviduct.

Here is an informative article about lash eggs:

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

You shouldn’t have to worry about your other chickens catching anything from the sick hen, but ensure they have enough calcium available and clean nesting boxes to lay in.

 

[Mama KK]

Any sex links can be considered a high production breed, also, so add them to your list.

8 is a great age for a chicken! Good job with her. It could be her, does she lay still? Usually hens with reproductive infections will stop laying or start not laying as much as normal. I know that it is normal for an older hen to not lay as much, though.

A few other signs of reproductive issues also include going from laying regular eggs to laying oddly shaped eggs, cracked and mended eggs, spending too much time in the nesting box without laying anything, and eggs with really watery whites.

Any chicken who has an egg break in her or even partially in her, is at risk for a reproductive infection. So really it could be anyone, but they can be so Sneaky about hiding illnesses, so it’s tough to tell sometimes.

Lash eggs are pus that accumulates in the reproductive tract, usually the oviduct, I believe. They’re typically from a bacterial infection in the reproductive tract and aren’t anything contagious. When an egg breaks in or near the hen’s vent (or other part of the reproductive tract), it creates a nice warm breeding ground for bacteria. That bacteria can travel back up the vent and spread infection, causing the pus accumulation. The pus can be all over in the abdomen and sometimes causes swelling of the abdomen, even. Lash eggs are pus from the oviduct.

Here is an informative article about lash eggs:

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

You shouldn’t have to worry about your other chickens catching anything from the sick hen, but ensure they have enough calcium available and clean nesting boxes to lay in.

This is perfect, thank you so much!

 

[alinas2010]

This is perfect, thank you so much!

You’re welcome. I hope you can find the culprit and treat her. They just don’t deserve this disease, I hate it.