Please share your experiences with salpingitis/lash eggs and any possible advice.

[Lillith37]

I’ll share what’s going on for me at the moment and if anyone has any advice it’s very welcome, and I would also like to hear peoples’ experiences of salpingitis in their chickens/flock.

One of my hens Dragon Constance (unknown age) laid a lash egg while roosting overnight. She hasn’t laid for several months and became acutely ill about one month ago. She was put on amoxyclav 250 for bacterial overgrowth in her digestive system and DMSA for excessive blood lead levels. She has been better since, but this past week she’s had a couple of off days. She’s eating and drinking, preening, crop emptying, stays with the flock but does occasionally sit fluffed up and quiet.

I don’t know if her salpingitis began months ago when she stopped laying, or whether the antibiotics for her gut had the additional effect of treating the salpingitis, which has now returned.

I’ve been reading up on the disease and trying to decide what to do. Is there a test to determine if the infection is viral or bacterial? If the infection started so long ago and her ovary has atrophied from not laying, would surgery to remove the oviduct be appropriate? Would she need subsequently need the contraception implant if she hasn’t been laying? Is it a lost cause at this point now she’s expelled the lash material?

I want to do what’s best for Constance but I know surgery has risks and the implant really knocks them about too. Her quality of life is the most important thing.

I would be prepared to try the antibiotics again but I’m aware this might be a Band-Aid solution and I’m not even sure if it is bacterial. I have a 5-day course of meloxicam anti-inflammatory on hand that I’m going to give her. Is there any other supportive care I can provide?

I’m going to see if I can do a phone consult with the avian vet but this forum has taught me so much and I really value hearing from other people about their experiences.

So I was wondering if you have experienced salpingitis/lash eggs in your flock, what did you do and did your chicken/s recover?

Thanks so much for reading and for any response!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I dosed mine with amoxicillin, calcium citrate and made sure she ate whatever she wanted. Also, to help pass any additional material that may still be inside I would take her with me on my morning walk. I'm not sure if it's how I hold her or something along those lines but it helps pass any other lash material.

 

[Lillith37]

Thanks for your reply @SmiYa0126

That’s a really sweet image of you taking your chicken with you on your walk. Did you carry her while you walked?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! Thank you! Yes she was in my arms. I hold her with her side towards my body, with my hand under her wing.

 

[TwoCrows]

I too have used Amoxicillin to treat this infection, if it hasn't done too much damage to the oviduct and shell gland, they can recover. I'd give it a go with your hen, she may make a complete recovery!

 

[AntiqueB]

I dosed my 1 yo girl with amoxycillian for 10 days immediately after she laid a lash egg. After that, I was hyperaware of her condition, and when she again looked a bit down (almost a year later), I gave her another course of amoxycillian. She lived another few months after that. Her quality of life was good overall, and I'm still not sure it was the salpingitis that killed her, but I also didn't do any sort of autopsy.

 

[Lillith37]

I too have used Amoxicillin to treat this infection, if it hasn't done too much damage to the oviduct and shell gland, they can recover. I'd give it a go with your hen, she may make a complete recovery!

Thanks for your reply! We’re going to the vet on Tuesday. Constance seems fine, so I’m hoping they can test the lash egg to determine the cause (viral, bacterial, type of bacteria, etc.) and maybe do an ultrasound.

Unfortunately this morning another of my hens Whitetail still had food in her crop and a big mess of green diarrhoea and egg white consistency beneath her spot on the roost. She’s not her usual self today. I’m not sure if it’s a related problem but it’s worrisome.

 

[Lillith37]

I dosed my 1 yo girl with amoxycillian for 10 days immediately after she laid a lash egg. After that, I was hyperaware of her condition, and when she again looked a bit down (almost a year later), I gave her another course of amoxycillian. She lived another few months after that. Her quality of life was good overall, and I'm still not sure it was the salpingitis that killed her, but I also didn't do any sort of autopsy.

That’s really good her quality of life maintained. That’s the most important thing! Thanks for your reply.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks for your reply! We’re going to the vet on Tuesday. Constance seems fine, so I’m hoping they can test the lash egg to determine the cause (viral, bacterial, type of bacteria, etc.) and maybe do an ultrasound.

Unfortunately this morning another of my hens Whitetail still had food in her crop and a big mess of green diarrhoea and egg white consistency beneath her spot on the roost. She’s not her usual self today. I’m not sure if it’s a related problem but it’s worrisome.

I am sorry Whitetail is struggling too, always difficult to see them suffer. What breeds are these birds?

 

[Lillith37]

I am sorry Whitetail is struggling too, always difficult to see them suffer. What breeds are these birds?

Whitetail is a 2yo ISA Brown who was given to me along with her sister from my workplace. I don’t know what breed or age Constance is, she was also given to me along with two others from a client’s family.