# What the heck happened here?



## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

Hello!
I'm a newbie to this forum. I'm not a chicken newbie but what I found today threw me. It looks like a chicken tried to lay an egg, but failed. I found two pieces, one doesn't look anything like an egg and the other looks like .. heck, I don't even know how to describe it.

We had four chickens but two disappeared mysteriously last year. 3 of the four always were together but fortunately, one of them stayed with the chicken that was an outcast after the dog got it and broke it's leg. I set the leg and kept the chicken inside for a few weeks and her leg healed fine. But she was shunned by the other three. Since then, the one chicken who was not with her group hasn't laid any eggs.

The color of this thing makes me think that it might have been her attempt at laying? Any help is appreciated. This is gross!

Thanks!

Lisa


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

They are Lash eggs. Lash eggs are a sign of salpingitis, a bacterial infection in the oviduct, and ecoli could be the cause. An antibiotic should treat it.


Brown Egg Blue Egg - Christmas Alien Egg




Brown Egg Blue Egg - Egg In A Bag and Weird Eggs


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

Thanks. I knew I shouldn't have let them eat earthworms. I'll get some antibiotic tomorrow.

Lisa


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

ChickenWhat?? said:


> Thanks. I knew I shouldn't have let them eat earthworms. I'll get some antibiotic tomorrow.
> 
> Lisa


Ecoli is often present in the environment, it may not be the earthworms specifically.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

Poultry Judge said:


> Ecoli is often present in the environment, it may not be the earthworms specifically.





Poultry Judge said:


> Ecoli is often present in the environment, it may not be the earthworms specifically.


Sorry about that. My devices would not show a keyboard so the replies couldn't be typed. 
Is there any particular antibiotic I should pick up? I assume I dose their water?

Thanks again, y'all are so helpful


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Amoxicillin will treat ecoli infections as well other types of infections in poultry. Here's where you can purchase it as a fish medication without prescription. Dosage is one 250mg capsule given orally twice a day for 5 days. All you need is a one time purchase.





Aqua-Mox (Amoxicillin)


Aqua-Mox (Amoxicillin)




www.allivet.com


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

Poultry Judge said:


> Ecoli is often present in the environment, it may not be the earthworms specifically.


Hi again 

I was able to get some Oxytetracycline 200ml (broad spectrum antibiotic) at Tractor Supply; apparently after 2022, you won't be able to buy it (FDA thing).

I don't know how much to dose a chicken. If anyone knows, I'd sure appreciate the help. 

Thanks so much,

Lisa


dawg53 said:


> Amoxicillin will treat ecoli infections as well other types of infections in poultry. Here's where you can purchase it as a fish medication without prescription. Dosage is one 250mg capsule given orally twice a day for 5 days. All you need is a one time purchase.
> https://www.allivet.com/prtoduct/aq...tm_term=4583245521425930&utm_content=Aqua-Mox


Thanks for the link. I just bought Oxeterramycin 200ml and I'd love to take it back. Can you recommend the dose please? Should I separate the birds?

Thanks

Lisa


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

ChickenWhat?? said:


> Hi again
> 
> I was able to get some Oxytetracycline 200ml (broad spectrum antibiotic) at Tractor Supply; apparently after 2022, you won't be able to buy it (FDA thing).
> 
> ...


Geez, what a spaz! Oxyterramycin. I can't type. I ordered the Amoxicillin. I didn't even think about fish.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

dawg53 said:


> Amoxicillin will treat ecoli infections as well other types of infections in poultry. Here's where you can purchase it as a fish medication without prescription. Dosage is one 250mg capsule given orally twice a day for 5 days. All you need is a one time purchase.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





dawg53 said:


> Amoxicillin will treat ecoli infections as well other types of infections in poultry. Here's where you can purchase it as a fish medication without prescription. Dosage is one 250mg capsule given orally twice a day for 5 days. All you need is a one time purchase.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't mean to sound stupid, it comes naturally, but how did you administer the capsules? Did you force it down their throats?

Lisa


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Some do. I mixed mine in some wet treat the birds really liked. Like yoghurt, hand rearing formula for baby birds was my favorite. It was the birds' favorite too.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> Some do. I mixed mine in some wet treat the birds really liked. Like yoghurt, hand rearing formula for baby birds was my favorite. It was the birds' favorite too.





robin416 said:


> Some do. I mixed mine in some wet treat the birds really liked. Like yoghurt, hand rearing formula for baby birds was my favorite. It was the birds' favorite too.


I had no idea they would eat things like yogurt. So you can dump the capsule's contents into something the birds will eat? I don't know what, besides worms, they might like. I guess I could try yogurt or some kind of treat. Interesting ideas, thank you. I appreciate the insights. I'll try a few things before I add antibiotic.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just like anything new, they'll be suspicious of it. Once they get a taste of something good they'll fight you to get at it.

Let's see. Cooked oatmeal is a favorite of most. Hand rearing formula is one I kept around all of the time. Some enjoy cottage cheese.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Chickens love plain boiled white rice. It looks like maggots to them and they scoff it up. Of course dont give it to them hot. It helps birds with diarrhea and settles their guts.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

dawg53 said:


> Chickens love plain boiled white rice. It looks like maggots to them and they scoff it up. Of course dont give it to them hot. It helps birds with diarrhea and settles their guts.


The chickens didn't like oatmeal or corn. I ended up just giving her the capsule by. My son told me that I shouldn't listen to people on the internet, they're scammers. He must think I'm stupid. He said he looked up giving capsules to chickens and there was a very specific way to do it and I probably killed her. She seemed fine to me. Anyway, I can't count on his help. White rice isn't a bad idea. I was thinking of diluting the powder and injecting the mealworms with it. They love mealworms and they wouldn't think twice about eating them.

I doubt that over 100 people would band together to give out bad advice to people about chickens. I appreciate the help and if I need to do the rice, I have plenty of it.

Lisa


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

No doubt there are scammers on the internet. I can assure you that scammers dont hang around here. There are alot of good folks on this site that have raised poultry for many many years and know what they're talking about. Scammers cant pull the wool over the eyes of experienced chicken keepers.

I'm surprised your chickens didnt like corn. Maybe adding water to it and letting it soak for awhile might change their minds, you can even add the boiled rice to it if you wish. I've never given oatmeal to my chickens, but they are walking stomachs and I'm sure they'd scoff it up.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm not easy on anyone that stirs up any trouble here so you can rest assured they don't stay here long. And we will agree to disagree around here. We've different people from different parts of the world so we have ways that work for our flocks that sometimes others don't think about. 

The unknown. Chickens will be leery of anything they haven't seen before. But once one is brave enough to take a peck, it's on.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

dawg53 said:


> No doubt there are scammers on the internet. I can assure you that scammers dont hang around here. There are alot of good folks on this site that have raised poultry for many many years and know what they're talking about. Scammers cant pull the wool over the eyes of experienced chicken keepers.
> 
> I'm surprised your chickens didnt like corn. Maybe adding water to it and letting it soak for awhile might change their minds, you can even add the boiled rice to it if you wish. I've never given oatmeal to my chickens, but they are walking stomachs and I'm sure they'd scoff it up.


I hear ya dawg. I started a site in ‘97 about risks and hazards of internet dating. I usually just blow off my son’s paranoia. Besides, he stopped helping with the chickens a few months after we got them.

I am the guilty party as far as their disdain for corn, etc., I’ve just kept them on layer feed since they were 8 mos old and meal worms. When the 2 disappeared, they were relegated to the coop.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> I'm not easy on anyone that stirs up any trouble here so you can rest assured they don't stay here long. And we will agree to disagree around here. We've different people from different parts of the world so we have ways that work for our flocks that sometimes others don't think about.
> 
> The unknown. Chickens will be leery of anything they haven't seen before. But once one is brave enough to take a peck, it's on.


Thanks, it was a timing issue. I wanted to start treating the hen asap, I won’t ask my son for his help, I’ll try rice. Worst case, I’ll get the worms wet and rub them in the capsule’s powder or just inject the worms with the medicine.


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## ChickenWhat?? (8 mo ago)

ChickenWhat?? said:


> Thanks, it was a timing issue. I wanted to start treating the hen asap, I won’t ask my son for his help, I’ll try rice. Worst case, I’ll get the worms wet and rub them in the capsule’s powder or just inject the worms with the medicine.


I had both hens on Amoxicillin for a minimum of 5 days. Today I found another Lash egg alongside a perfectly good egg. Do I need to go back to Amoxicillin for a ten day course?? Your help always appreciated 

Lisa


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I think you've done all that you can do. Here's a link for you to read about lash eggs:








Salpingitis & Lash Eggs in Backyard Chickens: The Pus Coagulegg | The Chicken Chick®


This hot mess, laid by one of my hens, referred to as a “lash egg,” is a very misunderstood phenomenon in backyard chickens. Lash eggs consist primarily of coagulated pus, not yolk or egg white. I took the liberty of renaming the lash egg more appropriately, a Pus Coagulegg. It’s got a nice ring ...




the-chicken-chick.com


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sorry, Lisa. There isn't any more that can be done except for a vet and surgery. 

She will feel OK for a time but will begin to feel punky as the disease progresses. Her problem may be stemming from internal laying and that's not something you can do anything about. 

I've had it with one of mine years ago. She was about three when it started.


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