Strange object in nest box

[BrideXIII]

big green poop i can deal with pink grotesque lumps of fleshy rubber is something else entirely

noone is asking you to get married again ?

[lynda66]

noone is asking you to get married again ?

no one asked me to get married a fist time lol

[Denis.chicken]

Weird chicken deposit "lash"??

Hi Maureen, Sorry, I'm about a year late on this topic but my chicken just laid one of these today. It looks like meat, shaped like an egg somewhat, sort of like a tiny uncooked Cordon Blue dinner. But really gross and kind of smelly. My chicken, Louise, hasn't been laying in over a month and we think this came from her. We also believe she has coccidiosis, which could be the reason for her not laying. I'm hoping she starts up again. Do you think she will? Here's a pic. This is such a weird thing. Thanks for any advice.

[MaureenHall]

It's what's known as a "lash". It's when part of the reproductive system sort of sloughs away. It's not rare, but doesn't often happen, usually in older chickens or ex-batts. There's no treatment needed apart from the usual system boosters like Poultry Spice. I had it happen to 3 of my girls last year, and although (I don't think) they laid any more eggs, they continued to have a happy life. They are a bit gross aren't they - stink too

By the way, welcome to the Vine We're a nosey lot, so you'll have to let us know what chooks you've got, and pictures too if poss

[di]

Eeeew!

[Lemon]

Oh, we've found them rubbery sausage shaped egg things too! If it come from older chickens then I think Korma is older than we are led to believe! She was sold as POL to us in Aug, making her 18mths now? That would explain why 1) she stopped laying in Dec, 2) I've always wondered why the big egg from our little chicken and the smaller one from Bokky, the larger chicken!

What's even more gross is that last week, when hubbs told me about the 'lash' in nest box, I tried to retrieve it but Korma beat me to it and ATE it!

[frias]

Chicken nuggets anyone?

[Suechooks]

Oh, we've found them rubbery sausage shaped egg things too!

What's even more gross is that last week, when hubbs told me about the 'lash' in nest box, I tried to retrieve it but Korma beat me to it and ATE it!

Don't worry Lemon mine will fight over them too!! Interestingly my ex-batts who were producing these things have now pretty much gone into retirement and have never seen them in my POL girls run/hut

[Nicos]

Yuk- looks like something left over from a castration!!!!

[di]

We got one yesterday!
It was in the teens coop...although they're not really teens anymore.
Dandelion and Marigold share the same coop,but they're still only fairly young...two in Spring.
It looks and feels just like a soft potato.

[Eco-Chic]

So it sort of signals the hen's menopause too

[Suechooks]

So it sort of signals the hen's menopause too

It does seem to! My Amber link - who laid daily non-stop for 2 summers and through the winter - laid one a couple of months ago and now she's laying shell-less ones almost every other day . Must have run out of shell! She's been with me since POL so I know she's had all she should in the way of calcium etc.

[frias]

I've got 2 ex-batts like that. The others lay eggs with good hard shells and they all get the same to eat. I would much rather they stopped laying altogether. I went to the vet and he gave me a calcium suppliment but it didn't help. They already get ground eggshells, limestone flour and cod liver oil. I did see a hen on TV that had a hysterectomy but it does seem a bit radical. Wonder if there's an injection they could have to stop them laying.

[Eco-Chic]

Sue and Frias, I wonder if the problem is absorption of calcium. If the cod liver oil isn't helping, how about adding some marmite to their diet too? I believe it contains Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D which help with absorption of calcium.

[Suechooks]

It isn' t anything like that with Amber I'm sure as she has always laid really good shells and I've had her from POL so I know she has had all she needs unlike the ex-batts who have been virtually starved of all but the barest essentials. I think it is the way they're bred - short prolific laying life and this is the price of prolonging it. If the shells were thin I'd go with the calcium theory but they are like Avrils ex-batts' - non-existent. I did think of separating the old girls and taking them off layers but it really would cause too much hassle!