Vent gleet?

[Birdwatcher804]

My Cream Legbar started laying 3weeks ago. Sometimes her eggs have poop on them that looks as though it is getting on the egg as she is laying it. Her feathers around her vent were soiled a little. Can someone tell me if this is vent gleet?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have any photos of the dirty eggs?

I don't see any indication of a white discharge or seriously wet dirty behind that makes me think of Vent Gleet. To me your photo looks like a healthy vent of a pullet in lay.

Is she laying in a nesting box or on the floor in a corner. Sometimes poop can be transmitted by the feet. Some are a bit of lazy poopers or have excess fluff that makes cecal poop hard to clear the feathers. You can give her a wash up and trim the fluff around the vent to see if that helps with the dirty eggs. (Wear a mask when you trim fluff - it is very fine and you don't want to breath those particles in).

fwiw - take a look at these 2 articles - there's some photos of what Vent Gleet looks like
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

 

[Birdwatcher804]

Do you have any photos of the dirty eggs?

I don't see any indication of a white discharge or seriously wet dirty behind that makes me think of Vent Gleet. To me your photo looks like a healthy vent of a pullet in lay.

Is she laying in a nesting box or on the floor in a corner. Sometimes poop can be transmitted by the feet. Some are a bit of lazy poopers or have excess fluff that makes cecal poop hard to clear the feathers. You can give her a wash up and trim the fluff around the vent to see if that helps with the dirty eggs. (Wear a mask when you trim fluff - it is very fine and you don't want to breath those particles in).

fwiw - take a look at these 2 articles - there's some photos of what Vent Gleet looks like
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

Thank you so much for the info and links. She is laying in a nesting box, and does have a LOT of fluff. I’ll try trimming it.

 

[Birdwatcher804]

Do you have any photos of the dirty eggs?

I don't see any indication of a white discharge or seriously wet dirty behind that makes me think of Vent Gleet. To me your photo looks like a healthy vent of a pullet in lay.

Is she laying in a nesting box or on the floor in a corner. Sometimes poop can be transmitted by the feet. Some are a bit of lazy poopers or have excess fluff that makes cecal poop hard to clear the feathers. You can give her a wash up and trim the fluff around the vent to see if that helps with the dirty eggs. (Wear a mask when you trim fluff - it is very fine and you don't want to breath those particles in).

fwiw - take a look at these 2 articles - there's some photos of what Vent Gleet looks like
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

Somehow, I missed your first question. I will get a picture of one of her eggs, hopefully tomorrow.

 

[Abriana]

My cuckoo Marans had a problem similar. I tried bathing them, but it took a long time and so I trimmed. Definitely easier and more effective and not much of a struggle but you might need someone to hold the bird while you trim, just because you can do a mor thorough job that way.

 

[Birdwatcher804]

Do you have any photos of the dirty eggs?

I don't see any indication of a white discharge or seriously wet dirty behind that makes me think of Vent Gleet. To me your photo looks like a healthy vent of a pullet in lay.

Is she laying in a nesting box or on the floor in a corner. Sometimes poop can be transmitted by the feet. Some are a bit of lazy poopers or have excess fluff that makes cecal poop hard to clear the feathers. You can give her a wash up and trim the fluff around the vent to see if that helps with the dirty eggs. (Wear a mask when you trim fluff - it is very fine and you don't want to breath those particles in).

fwiw - take a look at these 2 articles - there's some photos of what Vent Gleet looks like
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

I trimmed her fluff and that helped for a few days, but this is her egg from today.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a large flock, larger a few years ago, and would get the same poopy egg from a couple of chickens every single day. That is just what sometimes happens. Some people post that worms cause poopy eggs, but poopy eggs just happen sometimes. I still get one or two from certain ones, and all others are clean.

It always helps to make sure that nests are clean, and no one leaves droppings behind or uses nest boxes To sleep in at night.

 

[Birdwatcher804]

I have a large flock, larger a few years ago, and would get the same poopy egg from a couple of chickens every single day. That is just what sometimes happens. Some people post that worms cause poopy eggs, but poopy eggs just happen sometimes. I still get one or two from certain ones, and all others are clean.

It always helps to make sure that nests are clean, and no one leaves droppings behind or uses nest boxes To sleep in at night.

I had read before about that being caused by worms. Thanks for sharing. I’m learning a lot in my first year of my obsession with chickens. You might be crazy chicken people if you sit around and talk about poopy eggs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Birdwatcher804 Thank you for following up with a photo!

Does your girl have a cleaner bum since the trim?
I agree with @Eggcessive sometimes poopy eggs happen. I could be wrong, but to me, the poop on that egg looks like transfer - sometimes hens may enter the nesting box with poop on the feet, someone has pooped in the nesting box and the egg was laid on top of it, etc. Do all of your birds roost at night or do you have someone sleeping in the boxes?

 

[Birdwatcher804]

@Birdwatcher804 Thank you for following up with a photo!

Does your girl have a cleaner bum since the trim?
I agree with @Eggcessive sometimes poopy eggs happen. I could be wrong, but to me, the poop on that egg looks like transfer - sometimes hens may enter the nesting box with poop on the feet, someone has pooped in the nesting box and the egg was laid on top of it, etc. Do all of your birds roost at night or do you have someone sleeping in the boxes?

They roost. I hardly ever see poop in the nest box. This is a picture from this morning. It’s not as clear because her fluff was in the way, but you can see poop on her fluff. I may not have trimmed enough. I thought it might be a Cream Legbar thing, but my other one lays clean eggs and her fluff has just a little bit of poop in it (none near her vent though). Elizabeth is the only one that has poop on her eggs. The poop stains her eggs too.