Hi All and thanks for your interest. I found it on the lawn - the hens free range. 1 hen has been off colour for 2-3 days and I have had her inside during the daytime as she just wanted to sleep and looked a bit cold. Anyway she perked up a bit yesterday late afternoon so i put her out with the others and it was after that i found that plug of soft shell. I don't think it can be a true lash as there is no necrotic or infected tissue in it - it just seemed to be soft shell all folded up. The hen also has bumblefoot but looks like she's had it a while as there is a hard black seg formed over the top. She seems to have had everything. ..heavy lice infestation, worms. But she is really sweet - think she is a Golden Comet. As she is ex battery I'm not surprised she has these sorts of problems but shame she has all of them - the other 6 are in much better shape so far. And of course I'm new to keeping hens so learning as we go along.
Time to go and let them out.