Strange poop and laying membranes

[Worleyfarm]

My chicken has pretty much always laid membranes and then a yolk. sometimes just shriveled up membrane that look like a squash. No yolk in it. Lately she has been taking breaks during the day and sleeping and she goes off by her self and lays and then she’ll come back with the membrane hanging out and then she will finally pass it. I’ve been told she’s a lemon chicken. Now she is pooping this whitish cloudy stuff and there was a little embryo chunky bloody thing in one of them. She was just drinking water went to get some food and all the water came out of her mouth, like she was throwing it up? But now she’s eating. And she just pooped water that’s a little opaque. She’s been doing the membrane thing for several months, she will lay eggs three or four days and then she’ll do the membrane thing for a couple of weeks. I’m sitting here watching her eat and she just had more water pour out of her mouth into her food. Her comb it’s nice and red but the back of it the tip is purple. Any ideas? I have attached pics.

 

[cleoandtheflock]

@Eggcessive @casportpony @Wyorp Rock

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she is having some crop problems now, causing her to regurgitate. How does her crop feel—empty, full, hard, or puffy like a balloon? Impacted or sour crop may occur from an infection, long grasses getting in a wad, or from a slow crop because of abdominal pressure from internal laying, infection, or acsites (fluid in the belly.)

Along with her crop problem, she sounds like she is having problems with her oviduct, shell formation, or possibly inflammation or infection. Has she ever been exposed to infectious bronchitis, a respiratory infection that causes a lot of frequent sneezing? Are you feeding layer feed and crushed oyster shell for calcium? Is she heavy or thin, and is her tail up normally or being down?

 

[Worleyfarm]

Her crop feels normal. When it’s full it’s soft. Not like a balloon. Like the other chickens, I compared. She doesn’t have bad breath like sour crop and in the morning when her crop isn’t as full it still feels normal. We got her at 4 months old so prior to us getting her not sure if she was ever exposed to bronchitis. Never had that here. We feed highland layer, oyster shells, their own crushed shells, sunflower seeds, scratch and as treats we do fermented scratch and peck, sardines, and tuna (these we alternate, they get one of them 1 day a week) Her tail is always up expect when she is roosting. She is normal weight. When I feel her breast I feel the bone but also meat all around. So I don’t think she is thin. I know she isn’t too heavy. I had her feces tested today and it’s not cocci, there is an egg in there but the vet could not identify. So we sent images to another vet who specializes in chickens. So hopefully we will get that in tomorrow.
She has always laid the membranes. I talked to my vet when it first started at 6 months old or so and she said it takes them time for their bodies to get in the swing of things. She still will lay eggs, but only for a few days to a week. Then it’s membranes for weeks. I attached a pic of one of her membranes. They aren’t even egg shaped. It takes her up to 2-3 hours to pass it. It just hangs there! When she does lay an egg it’s usually HUGE! I added an egg pic too (for reference... I have reg size hands)

 

[Eggcessive]

It can be common to lay a shell-less egg in new layers, but they usually stop that. This girl has some problems with her oviduct for sure. You are feeding the right things for hard shells, but I’m not sure that you can do much more. If it is caused by inflammation, you may want to try an antibiotic. Most are not approved for egg layers. Some use Baytril which is banned in chickens by the FDA, although some vets will use it because of it treating many of the different bacteria that might be present in the reproductive tract. Amoxicillin is another that some use, but it is not as wide spectrum. Let us know what happens with the vet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

pooping this whitish cloudy stuff and there was a little embryo chunky bloody thing in one of them.

In your picture - what I have circled - do you see that often? Have you ever isolated that out and felt of it or cut it open? That looks like lash material to me, but I could be wrong. I don't mean to gross you out by asking you to do that if you find another one.

 

[Worleyfarm]

no, i have never noticed that! i didn't even notice it until you circled it. her poops yesterday were better, more brown loose than the white watery stuff. funny thing is, yesterday her purple was gone from her comb, she isn't dropping water from her mouth anymore and she was perfectly fine all yesterday. this morning she is great as well. comb looks good and she is acting happy and healthy. i will watch her poop today and see if i see another one of those "things" in there. my daughter is home this morning and she does not get grossed out at doing anything, she actually loves dissecting things. i don't know what lash material is but i will research it.
Thanks eggcessive and wyorp rock for all your input! i really appreciate it. she is one of our fave birds, even tho she doesn't really lay, she is a people bird so we just love her! if its internal laying or evp i know the best thing is to put them down since it is not curable.
I will also talk to her about the antibiotics.

 

[TriciaTKB]

no, i have never noticed that! i didn't even notice it until you circled it. her poops yesterday were better, more brown loose than the white watery stuff. funny thing is, yesterday her purple was gone from her comb, she isn't dropping water from her mouth anymore and she was perfectly fine all yesterday. this morning she is great as well. comb looks good and she is acting happy and healthy. i will watch her poop today and see if i see another one of those "things" in there. my daughter is home this morning and she does not get grossed out at doing anything, she actually loves dissecting things. i don't know what lash material is but i will research it.
Thanks eggcessive and wyorp rock for all your input! i really appreciate it. she is one of our fave birds, even tho she doesn't really lay, she is a people bird so we just love her! if its internal laying or evp i know the best thing is to put them down since it is not curable.
I will also talk to her about the antibiotics.

I know you posted this long ago, but I am having the same issues with a 2.5 year old hen of mine. What was your outcome?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I know you posted this long ago, but I am having the same issues with a 2.5 year old hen of mine. What was your outcome?

Welcome To BYC

This thread is from 2019 and the OP is unlikely to respond.
It would be a good idea to start a thread in the ER section about your own hen. Please include symptoms, what treatments/supplements if any you have tried, what you feed including treats along with photos of the hen, her poop and anything else you are concerned about.
Thanks!