Result of internal laying

[Michael Apple]

The above pics were taken last year from a 5 year old Dominique hen who was an Internal Layer. This Coagulated Egg Material was retained by her most likely in the Oviduct for a time until it was expelled.​

Some of what you are seeing is the Coagulated Egg Yolk and the Albumen as well as the egg shell membrane or possibly the soft shell of an egg. Looking at the Volume of material I would say that it is more than one egg here. It was discharged form the vent, and she immediately went limp and died while I held her.​

Causes range from Genetics to an imbalance of the Calcium, Phosphorous, Vitamin D-3 ratio. Since I pay close attention to nutrition, there was nothing else I could have done. Just thought I'd post this as an example of internal laying.

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[speckledhen]

Seriously, it's really bad genetics. Have done extensive research and consulted a PhD in poultry science when I was in the thick of it all a few years ago. Been there so darn many times, Michael. I've lost probably 13 hens to internal laying/egg yolk peritonitis and a couple more to ovarian cancers. It's always quite sad to find that cheesy gunk inside. This is what was inside just one production type RIR hatchery hen of mine from my original flock:




Sometimes, its in the oviduct, sometimes in the abdomen and many times in both. It's a hazard of really super bad genetics, seems to me, since my breeder quality birds just rarely have anything like that happen, but most all my hatchery hens died from it.

There was one study, though only one I've ever heard of, that seemed to suggest that flax seed may have a benefit in offsetting this, however, mine had flax seed periodically after I lost the first hen at two years of age from EYP and it really didn't seem to change anything with the hatchery girls. No idea if you have to start it immediately when they are chicks or how much on a weekly basis, etc, for it to have any effect, if it even really does.

You may want to put "Graphic Pic" in your thread title-some folks have a fit if you don't warn them about that. When I was a moderator, I'd just add it for them, but alas, no more power to do so.

 

[Michael Apple]

Well, shame on me for not seeing the response to this post. Thanks Speckledhen. Since I posted, everything I've read points to bad genetics via poor breeding practices. All birds suffering from internal laying, EYP, cancer in the oviduct, kinky back, neurological problems, all came from the same hatchery. That was the last time I will ever deal with that hatchery. So goes the course which upsets the balance when making money becomes more important than quality of product. It seems rampant in business these days. I always thought honesty and quality were the best safeguard out of respect for customers, and that is how I conduct business. I can sleep at night and know dishonest business people eventually hang themselves (unless they are in with congress and get a taxpayer bail out). Even then, everything comes full circle.

I didn't think the squeamish would be present on a forum dealing with such things as animal husbandry. That's why I didn't issue a posted warning about graphic pictures.