Salpingitis Lash egg, what can I do?

[ArtemisKat]

Long-time reader, first time posting.

Background: I own 5 chickens, three of them are five years old (barred rock, delaware, and americana) , and two of them are three years old (both rhode island red). They have a large coop and fully fenced area that's nearly as large as my bedroom. Big enough for 20 or 25 chickens, easily. They're on organic layer feed, plus sunflower seeds mixed in. On the side they have oyster shells, crushed egg shells, and daily bits from the kitchen. Basically, these chickens are living THE life and I can't figure out what could have caused a problem.

When I found a strange looking.. mass? sphere? object inside my chicken's nest, I spent a while on the internet trying to figure out what it could be. I read up on "Lash eggs" and it seems to match my situation. After reading many articles, I'm devastated as to what this might mean for my chickens, and I have a few questions left unanswered. I have a hunch about who layed the egg, I think it's one of the Rhode Island Reds because she seemed a bit quieter than usual and also a big tight in the abdomen. I've separated her from the others to see if she lays one of those strange eggs again and in case she's contagious. She also has accumulated a lot of poo on her backside. It's pretty gross. I'm not sure if that's important, but I have a theory that it might have contributed to the infection. I very occasionally notice a bit of a mess on their butts, all it takes is a little wipe, but I've never found this much. Any ideas on how to clean her up? Can I trim it off, or wash her somehow?

*Should I quarantine the chicken? Is it a danger to others? Or will being alone cause her more stress?
*Are the eggs from the affected chicken safe to eat? (the normal ones, not the lash of course. Ew!)
*When should I consider euthanasia? I don't want to lose my dear pet, but neither would I want her to suffer a slow, horrific death.


I hear apple cider vinegar is good for this. I'll be adding it to the water tomorrow. I also read that cinnamon can help, can anyone tell me how to give it to them? Do I just sprinkle a teaspoon in their food or should I give larger pieces? (I have a stick I can crush)
Also, although I love my chickens very much, I'm currently not in any state to have veterinary bills. I could possibly scrape up something if you guys think it would be helpful, but it's a last resort.

 

[andreanar]

First thing I would do is get her bottom cleaned off to make sure there is no infection, or open wound there. Soak her in warm water while rubbing the poop off her. It may take a few soaks. You can also trim her feathers off back there with scissors. I have never given cinnamon but you can prob sprinkle some around if you want, altho I don't think it will help.
You can try an antibiotic, Hopefully someone will come along to guide you to which one would be best to use. I would keep her with her flock, maybe in a dog crate inside the coop so you can monitor what shes laying and make sure its her that laid the lash. I also, would not cull unless I was seeing signs of her feeling bad.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Sorry your girl is unwell.
Firstly you need to get her cleaned up..... that poop will attract flies and could lead to fly strike, which you really don't want. A soak in warm soapy water and gentle rubbing should help to loosen it. Use pliers to carefully crush any big hard lumps and massage again. If necessary some of the badly matted feathers and poop can be trimmed away with scissors. Dry thoroughly with a towel and then hair drier. She may panic at first being put into water, but if you have it at a comfortable temperature she should soon relax. I find using a large trug or tote and placing a heavy towel or coat over the top to make it dark, helps them to relax more but don't leave her unattended in case she drowns. You want the water deep enough so that it covers the lower half of her body and her poopy butt area but not so deep that she is having to learn to swim!

Once you get her cleaned up and dry, I would be inclined to put some Vaseline or coconut oil on her butt to help prevent more poop sticking. If her abdomen is swollen, then that is the most likely reason that she is soiling herself. The body below the vent is usually vertical or angled in to the body so that poop falls clear but when there is some abdominal swelling it changes the angle ever so slightly and it is enough for the poop to get caught in feathers and once that happens, it just keeps building up.

The abdominal swelling may be due to internal laying or a tumour or an already significant build up of lash egg in her oviduct. Any of these can put pressure on the intestines and may cause loose stools which further adds to the soiled butt problem. As you are aware, salpingitis is an infection and probably needs antibiotics, although I have read that it does not respond well unless it is caught very early. I think the problem may be that, if there is a build up of lash egg inside her, even if the antibiotic tackles the infection, the mass of lash egg is too big to expel and she just becomes infected again.
I cannot advise which antibiotic may be appropriate to treat Salpingitis, but if you do more research you may find that info.... obviously a vet could advise and prescribe but with her chances of responding to treatment with them not being great and funds being limited, I can understand you not wanting to take that route. Some people believe that oregano oil has antibiotic properties and turmeric has anti inflammatory and cancer fighting ability but getting to eat these on a regular basis may be challenging. The best way is to mix them into her favourite treat, like scrambled eggs or yoghurt or a bit of cat food, but if she refuses to eat them you achieve nothing because she needs plenty of good nutrition to support her immune system whilst she is fighting the infection. Try it and see but don't stress her or yourself by forcing it. It may just be a question of keeping her as comfortable as possible whilst she still has some quality of life and having a plan to euthanize her when it is no longer sustainable.
As regards the rest of the flock, there is nothing to indicate that they will also become infected. The gut contains many pathogens but there is a balance with good bacteria. It might be helpful to start fermenting their feed if you don't already do so, to improve the good bacteria levels and support the digestive tract and as a result, immune system. Not saying fermented feed will cure your chicken, but help to maintain the health of the uninfected ones. Fermenting is ever so easy, so don't be put off that it sounds complicated.

I wish you luck with your girl and the rest of your flock.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

> Any ideas on how to clean her up? Can I trim it off, or wash her somehow?
I agree with @andreanar regarding bathing and trimming.

> *Should I quarantine the chicken? Is it a danger to others? Or will being alone cause her more stress?
Salpingitis can be caused by several types of bacteria such as Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, or Pasteurella multocida. I would definitely quarantine the hen even though the rest of the flock most likely have already been exposed.

> *Are the eggs from the affected chicken safe to eat? (the normal ones, not the lash of course. Ew!)
I don't think you will be getting eggs, the oviduct is most likely dysfunctional. If you do get eggs I would chuck them.

> *When should I consider euthanasia? I don't want to lose my dear pet, but neither would I want her to suffer a slow, horrific death.
If a vet visit is a viable option I would go for a diagnosis and prognosis, otherwise I would cull only if the bird seems to be suffering.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you

 

[Eggcessive]

She does not need to be quarantined or kept from the other chickens. If her salpingitis was caused by one of the usual bacteria, the whole flock have been exposed. E.coli is everywhere in droppings, but it is only when it climbs the oviduct from the vent area or is deposited into the abdomen through one of the many air sacs in the hen, that it becomes a problem. Antibiotics may only help early in the disease, or may not help at all. A lot of antibiotics are not used in chickens due to the egg residue later on. Tylan 50 would work against mycoplasma, but E.coli would require something different. Only if you can identify her eggs, and not eat them would I use something like Baytril (enrofloxacin.) Here is some reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/134/salpingitis/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/12/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard.html