Egg with Poop ???

[GreenHaven]

This is weird - one of my hens seems to be pooping as she lays an egg. I thought that wasn’t physically possible. But it’s consistent over the last few weeks. The hens have a laying house separate from their roost area, so I’ve never had poops in the nest or the house before. I suppose she could be intentionally pooping in the nest - but that seems also odd. Has anyone experienced this? Could she have a physical issue? The egg is usually sitting on top of it, but the poop is always on the egg.

 

[cavemanrich]

Not sure there is any remedy for such. I would just wash her eggs
and refrigerate. Washed eggs without bloom, need refrigeration. Eggs with bloom can be stored on counter at room temperature with no problem.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

I have a few that consistently do that. Seems to happen more the older they get.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Are you sure she's not laying in a nest with poop in it? Is someone sleeping in that nest, perhaps? You say the egg is on top of the poop, that makes me think maybe she's laying her egg in a dirty nest. Can you check at night after they go to roost and see if someone is sleeping in that nest (or invest in a camera)? Or look in the morning to see if that nest if clean, before anybody lays an egg in it?

 

[Toothpick]

I get eggs with poo on them quit often. IDK if they are sitting in there pooing, track it in on their feet, stuck to their bottom, or pooing and laying at the same time.

This is the first time I've ever put any thought in to it....

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I just about never get poopy eggs. Keep the nests clean and you'll have clean eggs. I have roosts above the nests, with poop trays below the roosts, and I clean the poop trays daily. The only times I have dirty eggs is when it's been raining and the hens have muddy feet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some birds do have an issue where they don't quite shut off the poop chute while laying, so they'll "lay" some poop on the egg. If you know for sure that the nests are clean beforehand, and no one's sleeping in them, then that could be what's happening.

It may resolve itself over time or it may not. Eggs are still fine to eat, just have to scrape off or wash off the poop before using.

 

[Altairsky]

I never had problems storing unwashed poopy eggs at room temperature.
Check the hen's butt. Mine started laying poopy eggs and I realized she had poop permanently stuck to her butt fluff. I washed and trimmed it, problem gone.

 

[LaFleche]

Intestinal parasites as well as inflammations can lead to pooping while laying.
And as mentioned earlier, older hens of breeds laying large eggs can get issues due to constantly overstreching of the cloaca.

It is important to keep the nest boxes and the rear ends of the hens clean to prevent oviduct infections as their evaginated cloaca during the laying process might otherwise suck in some debris after the egg is out.

 

[Daisy June]

I have a few that consistently do that. Seems to happen more the older they get.

Yep, the old gray mare ain't what she used to be.