What just came out of my chicken?!? "lash egg?"

[DirtyHarrysHenHarem]

Hi all, first time post here but read threads often! I went out to check on the girls and their eggs this morning and found the attached picture, which kinda freaked me out. It looks like a shriveled up egg with no yolk or anything inside and you can tell there is shell material in this. Should I be worried? is this a "lash egg?" The girl that I'm pretty sure laid it hasn't been laying much and but hasn't been for some months now, she also lays eggs with incredibly soft shells, some almost translucent that she then eats. After some research I tried to see if her abdomen was swollen at all but I can't really tell - it doesn't seem to me much larger, if at all, than some of the other girls and all other indicators seem to be normal (eating, social, active, etc).
Any help would be much appreciated!!

 

[Notaneggspurt]

I believe you are correct.

 

[staceyj]

Is that one cut in half, then half again? Or two?
That is a lash egg caused by salpingitis.

 

[staceyj]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

Hey @Texas Kiki ,
Who is the resident expert on salpingitis?

 

[staceyj]

Hi all, first time post here but read threads often! I went out to check on the girls and their eggs this morning and found the attached picture, which kinda freaked me out. It looks like a shriveled up egg with no yolk or anything inside and you can tell there is shell material in this. Should I be worried? is this a "lash egg?" The girl that I'm pretty sure laid it hasn't been laying much and but hasn't been for some months now, she also lays eggs with incredibly soft shells, some almost translucent that she then eats. After some research I tried to see if her abdomen was swollen at all but I can't really tell - it doesn't seem to me much larger, if at all, than some of the other girls and all other indicators seem to be normal (eating, social, active, etc).
Any help would be much appreciated!!

Has she been going through a winter molt?
You don’t have a location listed yet so I don’t know if it’s winter where you are.

How old is this girl?
What do they eat?
Do they have access to a supply of oyster shell?
Have you tried targeted calcium supplementation for her in the past when she’s laid soft shell eggs?

 

[staceyj]

Just snitched this from another thread.
@Eggcessive is the expert!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/vent-gleek-and-prolapsed-vent.1286279/page-2#post-20817835

Lots of great info here!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi all, first time post here but read threads often! I went out to check on the girls and their eggs this morning and found the attached picture, which kinda freaked me out. It looks like a shriveled up egg with no yolk or anything inside and you can tell there is shell material in this. Should I be worried? is this a "lash egg?" The girl that I'm pretty sure laid it hasn't been laying much and but hasn't been for some months now, she also lays eggs with incredibly soft shells, some almost translucent that she then eats. After some research I tried to see if her abdomen was swollen at all but I can't really tell - it doesn't seem to me much larger, if at all, than some of the other girls and all other indicators seem to be normal (eating, social, active, etc).
Any help would be much appreciated!!

Hi @DirtyHarrysHenHarem Welcome To BYC

It does look similar to a lash egg. It could be a combination of several soft shelled eggs that have remained in the shell gland too long.
Whatever it going on, I would say your girl is starting to have some reproductive problems.
It's good that she was able to expel that.
What do you normally feed?
If she were mine, I would watch that she is eating well. Give her extra calcium like 1/2 tablet Caltrate daily for 7 days. Direct dose her with poultry vitamins a couple of days too.

I would also start her on antibiotics. You can use Amoxicillin or Baytril. The antibiotics may help with infection. Hopefully she won't have any more problems for a while.

Here's some reading about lash eggs
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

 

[casportpony]

Is there any chance you could take her to a vet? If not, my suggestion would be to start her on some Baytril (enrofloxacin). It is banned for use in poultry, but it is the best drug for treating this.
https://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_baytril.php
The dose is 0.05 ml per pound orally twice a day.

 

[dalasgalas]

Poor little chicken.

 

[Kiki]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/salpingitis

Hey @Texas Kiki ,
Who is the resident expert on salpingitis?

I'm a little late.
The experts are here already.