Strange object (egg part?) in nest box

[MarcyG]

While cleaning my nest box today, I discovered a strange soft “thing” (for lack of a better term) in the (sand) nest box. After rinsing off the sand, it feels like soft tissue, and I’m thinking it possibly could be an egg shell membrane that my chicken passed. I noticed there was a lot of clear liquid in the area of the nest box where this item was found. The photos show a Sharpie pen nearby for scale.
Anyone here on BYC seen anything like this before? I’ve saved it in a baggie; not sure if I should take to my Vet.

My RIR (Aubrey) has had some illness and egg production issues this past year. She’s laying again, but more prone to soft shell or broken eggs. The intact eggs that she does lay are always larger than normal, and slightly mis-shapen at the top end.
Thank you for any feedback.

 

[jsr5]

no expert but looks like you narrowly missed losing a chicken to blocked crop or gut. That appears to be a peice of feed bag end or some kind of paper or tag she had eaten. you are luckiy it passed. I too have to constantly catch myself losing bits and peices of stuff around the girls they will pick up and run with about anything I drop. including screws and nails and staples. Oh and ear plugs and anything styrofoam. Turds Its a wonder they haven't all died

 

[MarcyG]

no expert but looks like you narrowly missed losing a chicken to blocked crop or gut. That appears to be a peice of feed bag end or some kind of paper or tag she had eaten. you are luckiy it passed. I too have to constantly catch myself losing bits and peices of stuff around the girls they will pick up and run with about anything I drop. including screws and nails and staples. Oh and ear plugs and anything styrofoam. Turds Its a wonder they haven't all died

Wow, thanks for your reply, jsr5. Yes, it's amazing they will put just about anything in their beaks and run w/ it! I'd be surprised if this weird thing is a piece of a feed bag. I try to keep their area cleared of plastic bags or bits, odd objects, etc., as much as possible. I'm tempted now (even though I know it may be really gross) to cut this "thing" up ...and see what it is, by cross-section. My first guess is it's a piece of egg membrane, but then again, it could be anything.

 

[jsr5]

Might try adding more calcium to her diet. crumbled up tums. oyseter shell at food dish. and how old is she. One of mine is 3.5 and stopped laying along with an injured leg. we have nursed her back to good but she still doesn't lay has no intrest is trying to fight for space in the coop. Lil red is one of our first ones and had a loving demeanor from the beggining so she has been named and therefore will be provided a comfy retirement. I blame it on forcing laying through her first two winters with artificial light I finally won that argument and we don't do that so much anymore.

 

[DobieLover]

While cleaning my nest box today, I discovered a strange soft “thing” (for lack of a better term) in the (sand) nest box. After rinsing off the sand, it feels like soft tissue, and I’m thinking it possibly could be an egg shell membrane that my chicken passed. I noticed there was a lot of clear liquid in the area of the nest box where this item was found. The photos show a Sharpie pen nearby for scale.
Anyone here on BYC seen anything like this before? I’ve saved it in a baggie; not sure if I should take to my Vet.

My RIR (Aubrey) has had some illness and egg production issues this past year. She’s laying again, but more prone to soft shell or broken eggs. The intact eggs that she does lay are always larger than normal, and slightly mis-shapen at the top end.
Thank you for any feedback.

I recommend that you go ahead and cut it open.
It looks like a lash egg. If it is, it is the result of an oviduct infection which wouldn't be surprising based on the symptoms you've described for this hen.

 

[jsr5]

Looks like an actual expert has responded I'd likely have cut it open as well just to know for sure what it was or at least get closer to knowing. Hope your girl can be helped.

 

[Mimi13]

It looks just like what a couple of my hens “pass,” usually on the droppings board or after they come off the roost. It is the remnants of a soft shell after the yolk and/or albumen has been excreted. When a hen’s oviduct contracts to push the egg out, if it is not a hard shelled egg, it will burst thus sending the insides of the egg oozing out the hen’s vent. Her oviduct will then continue to contract until the shell remnants are passed. Most times this is not easy for the hen and can cause serious problems. Depending on its hardness, the shell can be sharp and cut the lining of the oviduct, which isn’t good. Too many times I have had to “lube up” and help two of my girls pass the remaining globbed up, semi soft shell.

 

[MarcyG]

I recommend that you go ahead and cut it open.
It looks like a lash egg. If it is, it is the result of an oviduct infection which wouldn't be surprising based on the symptoms you've described for this hen.

Thank you, DobieLover, I think you're right. It does look like a 'lash' egg. Very similar to some of the shriveled up lash eggs I saw on Google images. I am taking my hen (and the 'sample') to the Vet tomorrow!

 

[MarcyG]

It looks just like what a couple of my hens “pass,” usually on the droppings board or after they come off the roost. It is the remnants of a soft shell after the yolk and/or albumen has been excreted. When a hen’s oviduct contracts to push the egg out, if it is not a hard shelled egg, it will burst thus sending the insides of the egg oozing out the hen’s vent. Her oviduct will then continue to contract until the shell remnants are passed. Most times this is not easy for the hen and can cause serious problems. Depending on its hardness, the shell can be sharp and cut the lining of the oviduct, which isn’t good. Too many times I have had to “lube up” and help two of my girls pass the remaining globbed up, semi soft shell.

Thanks for your feedback, Mimis13. What you say makes sense, but this 'thing' has more 'substance' to it and inside it than just an emptied-out egg membrane. It's looking more like a lash egg to me, and I'll find out hopefully, when I take her to the Vet on Friday.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I hope there's an easy and simple resolution, whatever the cause!