Eating chickens with a Lash

[Joy Marie H]

I have 24 hens in my flock and only get about 4 to 6 eggs a day. 10 of the birds joined our flock this spring and summer. We decided to cull the two 1/2 year old Rhode Island Reds and Black Astralopes. One of each of the birds had these fatty like globs inside that I believe are Lashes...and one of these birds a had a very off colored liver. The other culled chickens showed signs of egg production in process...yokes inside. My question is - is it safe to eat the birds or do I need to throw them away since I believe what I found were Lashes. I understand these are caused by an infection in the bird?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If you truly think you had lash eggs inside a hen, I would not eat the bird.

Salpingitis, which causes lash eggs (which are coagulated pus), comes from a deep infection inside the egg tract.

Common infections are eColi and Salmonella, so I would not eat a bird that did not look good on the inside.

Posting some photos would be a good idea if you can to determine if these hens indeed had salpingitis or if it was the normal undeveloped eggs in the tract.

LofMc

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

Photos of undeveloped eggs in the egg tract
http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/en/tartalom/tamop425/0010_1A_Book_angol_05_termeleselettan/ch13.html

 

[Joy Marie H]

If you truly think you had lash eggs inside a hen, I would not eat the bird.

Salpingitis, which causes lash eggs (which are coagulated pus), comes from a deep infection inside the egg tract.

Common infections are eColi and Salmonella, so I would not eat a bird that did not look good on the inside.

Posting some photos would be a good idea if you can to determine if these hens indeed had salpingitis or if it was the normal undeveloped eggs in the tract.

LofMc

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

Photos of undeveloped eggs in the egg tract
http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/en/tartalom/tamop425/0010_1A_Book_angol_05_termeleselettan/ch13.html

If you truly think you had lash eggs inside a hen, I would not eat the bird.

Salpingitis, which causes lash eggs (which are coagulated pus), comes from a deep infection inside the egg tract.

Common infections are eColi and Salmonella, so I would not eat a bird that did not look good on the inside.

Posting some photos would be a good idea if you can to determine if these hens indeed had salpingitis or if it was the normal undeveloped eggs in the tract.

LofMc

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html

Photos of undeveloped eggs in the egg tract
http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/en/tartalom/tamop425/0010_1A_Book_angol_05_termeleselettan/ch13.html

Thank you so much! Definitely looked like a lash egg. My next question then is should I destroy the entire flock and start over? Is it unhealthy to eat the eggs assuming my other hens might be infected as well? These hens I found the lashes in were over two years old, I have hens that are 18 months old and hens that I just got this summer. Perhaps I should randomly check a few hens before culling them all to see if I find more lashes?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Salpingitis is not contagious per se.

It commonly occurs in aging hens of the high production lines.

I would cull any hen who lays such an egg, which it sounds like you did as you found it during culling, but not worry about the others unless there is obvious infection going around.

According to Merk's manual, it is common to find sporadic cases on culling.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system/salpingitis-in-poultry

 

[Lady of McCamley]

...and a hen who looks healthy and is laying normal eggs shouldn't be a concern for it.

All hens carry a certain load of gut bacteria, and it is impossible to know who may develop Salpingitis.

I would be sure to do normal cleaning and maybe disinfect water dishes and add apple cider vinegar (raw with mother in plastic water dish only) or better copper sulfate in the water to boost their immune system.

ACV can be regularly in the water but copper sulfate is used a few days a season to disinfect the system (if pipe) and boost immunity.

 

[Joy Marie H]

Thank you! how much copper sulfite to a gallon of water? I regularly add ACV to their water and use ACV to clean their dishes and the coop as well. I think I will cull the last few chickens that are 2 and a half... keep the rest and watch carefully! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Acidified Copper Sulfate, 1/4 tsp per gallon. They suggest 7 to 10 days, others have said 3 days is enough seasonally, some keep it in the water 24/7, however you have to be sure it is well diluted. (I would do seasonally at most)

ACS is a good anti-algae and potentially a good coccidiostat and general gut acidifier, which in turn boosts the immune system of the bird. (The gut flora is a major part of their overall health and ability to fight off infections).

https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=ACS

Also there are studies being done, since the FDA has pulled antibiotics off the shelves for most poultry, in using probiotics to hold down bacterial infections. You can read atout that here:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4664614/

Some are using oregano oil in the water, however, it doesn't mix well in the water, and you have to be sure of your source otherwise, it is weak (and expensive) useless stuff. (The problems with essential oils is the quality control and their tendency for evaporation of effective ingredients)

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/...ay-reduce-salmonella-in-chicken/#.WhNHS0qnHIU

http://nexusacademicpublishers.com/uploads/files/Nexus_MH20150317200316__Alagawany_et_al.pdf

Be aware that thyme sprigs in the coops caused problems, even death, in some poultry houses. (I can't find that study at the moment).

LofMc