New Hen keeps pooping on her egg.

[Tamdog]

I have had hens for decades and can not get this figured our. I also Googled it and checked for others who have this question.
I have not found an answer.

I have a new 8 month old hen who always poops on her egg. Here is the deal.
1) I have roll away egg boxes and check the boxes every day. Ain't no way another hen is sitting around on her egg.
2) She is the only Marans Hen I have the only one who lays dark chocolate eggs so I know it is only one hen that has this problem.
3) I have many laying boxes and she is the only one using this box. I check every night- no one is sleeping in the boxes.
4) The poop is ONLY on the egg- not anywhere on the box or floor of box. The box is clean- however her egg will not roll away because of course it has thick lumps of poop on it
5) It is a good amount of poop.

She has to be pooping on that egg as she lays it. She has no poop on her butt feathers that I can see.

Why? This has never been a problem. Thanks

 

[CHlCKEN]

The vent is an opening shared by both her digestive system and her reproductive system. This being said, it’s not shocking to find that the eggs are unclean and have poop on them.

 

[Eggcessive]

I had a hen who always did that. I am not sure there is anything you can do to prevent it.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I agree with both posts above. Completely normal and I doubt there is a way to stop it.

 

[Tamdog]

The vent is an opening shared by both her digestive system and her reproductive system. This being said, it’s not shocking to find that the eggs are unclean and have poop on them.

It is strange that I *never* encountered this in decades of having hens. I have a rooster for the first time I wonder if that has something to do with it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It is strange that I *never* encountered this in decades of having hens. I have a rooster for the first time I wonder if that has something to do with it.

No, it's not the rooster. If that were the case, all of the hens would be doing it, and all of us who have roos would have the same problem. It's fairly rare. Usually the egg blocks the poop tract as it comes out, but not always. I think it was @aart who explained this very well once when I believed that what you are describing could never happen. Let's see if she will do it again.

 

[aart]

I had a hen who always did that. I am not sure there is anything you can do to prevent it.

I have had a couple that do this also.
'Two way door' is malfunctioning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It is strange that I *never* encountered this in decades of having hens. I have a rooster for the first time I wonder if that has something to do with it.

I agree with @aart likely a "door" malfunction. I doubt anything can be done.

When a hen lays an egg, the oviduct is inverted within the cloaca, basically "blocking" the intestines for a few minutes while the egg is laid. Sounds like there's no blocking, so poop is getting on the egg. Something you will just have to deal with.

**a rooster would not do this. There is no penetration in chicken mating. They only "touch" vents.

 

[Folly's place]

I have a hen who does this too. Unattractive, but that's just what she does.
Mary

 

[BigBlueHen53]

So just faulty equipment in that individual hen, yes? Don't breed her, then.