Soft egg moved backward in oviduct

[klbaker75]

I’ve got approximately a five year old red star who acted sickly on Thursday, typical of a soft egg. I waited all day and nothing. Thursday night I gently felt inside and could feel the soft shelled egg but it only would roll over in place so I left it alone and assumed it would come on out overnight. Nothing came out and when I went in Friday morning to retrieve the egg there was a hard shelled egg in the same place. I could feel both. That one didn’t come out on it’s own either. Later in the day through soaking etc she passed the hard shelled egg. However I went in to see where the soft egg was and it had slipped further back into her oviduct. I could only feel it if I pushed up on her abdomen while internally feeling. So it’s still in there and it’s not coming out. Today is her usual day off laying but I’m afraid tomorrow morning she will resume laying and either this will happen again or she’s just going to pile up eggs inside of her. Is there any way to get this soft egg out of that area?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve got approximately a five year old red star who acted sickly on Thursday, typical of a soft egg. I waited all day and nothing. Thursday night I gently felt inside and could feel the soft shelled egg but it only would roll over in place so I left it alone and assumed it would come on out overnight. Nothing came out and when I went in Friday morning to retrieve the egg there was a hard shelled egg in the same place. I could feel both. That one didn’t come out on it’s own either. Later in the day through soaking etc she passed the hard shelled egg. However I went in to see where the soft egg was and it had slipped further back into her oviduct. I could only feel it if I pushed up on her abdomen while internally feeling. So it’s still in there and it’s not coming out. Today is her usual day off laying but I’m afraid tomorrow morning she will resume laying and either this will happen again or she’s just going to pile up eggs inside of her. Is there any way to get this soft egg out of that area?

I don't know of a way to get that out. Even if you have vet care and they have the skill to perform surgery to remove the soft shell egg, likely the hen wouldn't make it through anesthesia.

I would let her stay relaxed and calm. I don't know if I would even feel inside the vent again unless she is in obvious distress needing to lay another egg. You can give her some extra calcium (1/2 tablet Caltrate) and direct dose of Poultry Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell (1 cc per 3 lbs of weight).

She may pass the soft shell egg or you are right, it could move back up the oviduct and into the abdomen (reverse peristalsis of the oviduct). Hopefully she will be able to push it out.

 

[klbaker75]

I don't know of a way to get that out. Even if you have vet care and they have the skill to perform surgery to remove the soft shell egg, likely the hen wouldn't make it through anesthesia.

I would let her stay relaxed and calm. I don't know if I would even feel inside the vent again unless she is in obvious distress needing to lay another egg. You can give her some extra calcium (1/2 tablet Caltrate) and direct dose of Poultry Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell (1 cc per 3 lbs of weight).

She may pass the soft shell egg or you are right, it could move back up the oviduct and into the abdomen (reverse peristalsis of the oviduct). Hopefully she will be able to push it out.

Thank you! She has an appt for a spay in two weeks but I’m not sure she will make it that long. She will either set up infection since the soft egg will break down faster than a hard egg or she will fill up with more eggs by then. I may be better off to let her live as long as she can and then have her put down to prevent pain.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you! She has an appt for a spay in two weeks but I’m not sure she will make it that long. She will either set up infection since the soft egg will break down faster than a hard egg or she will fill up with more eggs by then. I may be better off to let her live as long as she can and then have her put down to prevent pain.

Let us know how the appt goes.