Have you ever gone to collect eggs from your nesting boxes and found something that made your stomach turn? Something that looked kind of like an egg but also. not quite right? If you’ve been keeping chickens for any length of time, you might have encountered this alarming phenomenon known as a “lash egg.”
Despite its name a lash egg isn’t actually an egg at all. And if you find one it’s definitely something you should pay attention to. Let me share what I’ve learned about these strange objects and what they mean for your flock’s health.
What Exactly Is a Lash Egg?
First things first – a lash egg isn’t an egg! This is super important to understand.
A lash egg (technically called “caseous exudate”) is actually a mass of tissue and pus that forms when a hen’s oviduct becomes inflamed due to an infection. This condition is called salpingitis It’s essentially your chicken’s body trying to fight off an infection by walling it off with a cheesy, waxy substance.
When I first saw one in my coop, I nearly screamed! It looked like some alien creature had taken up residence in my nesting box. These masses can vary in appearance but generally look like:
- An egg-shaped, rubbery mass
- Yellowish or flesh-colored
- Sometimes resembling sausage meat
- Often with bumps and ridges on the surface
- Covered by a solid film
- Sometimes having a pungent smell
If you cut one open (though I don’t recommend it unless you have a strong stomach), you might find layers similar to an onion. The interior can contain:
- Pus
- Egg white
- Yolk
- Blood
- Egg membrane
- Tissue from the oviduct wall
The reason they’re shaped like eggs is because they pass through the hen’s reproductive system before being laid, just like a normal egg would.
What Causes Lash Eggs?
The underlying cause of lash eggs is salpingitis – an inflammation of the oviduct caused by bacterial or viral infection. This is basically the chicken version of what we humans would call an infection of the fallopian tubes.
Several factors can increase the risk of your chickens developing this condition:
Bacterial Salpingitis
The most common culprits include:
- Escherichia coli (E. coli)
- Salmonella
- Mycoplasma
- Pasturella
Viral Salpingitis
Can be caused by:
- Influenza viruses
- Adenoviruses
- Newcastle disease viruses
Risk Factors
Your hens are more likely to develop salpingitis if they:
- Are over 2 years old
- Are obese
- Produce eggs excessively
- Have nutritional deficiencies
- Have been subject to vent pecking
- Live in overcrowded conditions
- Have excessive abdominal fat
- Have prolonged egg production cycles due to hormone activity
Warning Signs Your Hen Might Have Salpingitis
The tricky thing about salpingitis is that symptoms can be subtle and easily confused with other chicken health issues. Keep an eye out for:
- Abnormal, malformed, or irregular eggs
- Decreased egg production
- Weight loss
- Excessive thirst
- Lethargy or decreased activity
- Ruffled feathers
- Difficulty breathing
- A penguin-like walking style (due to abdominal inflammation)
- Bloody discharge or weak-shelled eggs
- Pale, thin egg whites
- Damage around the vent area
Sometimes, though, the only sign might be finding the lash egg itself. Some of my chickens showed no symptoms at all before laying one!
Is a Lash Egg a Death Sentence?
This is where opinions differ a bit among chicken keepers and even veterinarians.
The traditional view has been pretty grim – many sources suggest that a hen with salpingitis is unlikely to live longer than 6 months after diagnosis, especially if the infection has been present for more than 24 hours.
However, more recent experiences from chicken keepers suggest this prognosis might not be as dire as previously thought. I’ve read about plenty of hens who passed a lash egg and went on to recover completely with proper treatment.
The British Hen Welfare Trust notes that “passing a lash egg is not a sign that your hen is going to die” and that “a hen can pass a lash on a regular basis and maintain a good quality of life.”
That said, salpingitis is a serious condition that requires attention. Even if your hen survives, she may become infertile or stop laying eggs entirely. The infection can also spread to other organs if left untreated.
Treatment Options for Salpingitis
If you discover your hen has laid a lash egg, there are several potential treatment approaches:
1. Antibiotics
Early detection is key here. Antibiotics can be effective if caught early while the pus is still liquid. Unfortunately, many cases are discovered late, making antibiotics less effective. Note that antibiotics won’t help with viral salpingitis.
Some chicken keepers have reported success with:
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics prescribed by a vet
- A course of treatment lasting 7-14 days
2. Anti-inflammatory Medications
Drugs like Meloxicam can be given orally to reduce abdominal swelling and make your hen more comfortable.
3. Hormonal Treatment
A veterinarian might recommend hormone implants to stop yolk release and ovulation in the affected hen. This gives the reproductive system a break and may help recovery.
4. Surgery
In some cases, surgical removal of the pus, fallopian tube, ovary, and egg components might be necessary. This is obviously a last resort and carries risks of infection and recurrence.
5. Culling
In severe cases, especially if the hen is suffering and treatment isn’t working, humane culling might be the kindest option. This is always a personal decision and should be made with a vet’s input when possible.
One chicken keeper shared an interesting experience using ivermectin (an anti-parasitic medication) for a hen who had been laying lash eggs for a year. After a 7-day course of ivermectin, the hen reportedly recovered and started laying normal eggs again. While this isn’t a standard treatment, it shows there may be alternative approaches worth discussing with your vet.
How to Prevent Salpingitis in Your Flock
Prevention is definitely better than treatment when it comes to salpingitis. Here are some steps I’ve taken to protect my flock:
1. Proper Nutrition
- Provide balanced feed appropriate for your hens’ age and production level
- Avoid overfeeding to prevent obesity
- Ensure adequate calcium for laying hens
2. Good Biosecurity
- Maintain a clean coop and nesting boxes
- Regularly change bedding
- Prevent overcrowding (each hen needs at least 4 square feet of coop space)
- Quarantine new birds before introducing them to your flock
3. Vaccination
- Immunize against respiratory viruses like Infectious Bronchitis
- Follow your veterinarian’s recommended vaccination schedule
4. Purchase Healthy Chicks
- Buy from NPIP-certified sources
- Select chicks tested for bacteria like Salmonella
5. Monitor Flock Health
- Perform regular health checks on your birds
- Consider a necropsy when chickens die of unknown causes to protect the rest of your flock
Our Experience with Lash Eggs
I’ll never forget the morning I found what looked like a piece of raw sausage in one of our nesting boxes. My first thought was that some critter had left part of its prey behind, but after some research, I realized we were dealing with a lash egg.
Our Black Australorp, Pepper, was the culprit. She’d been a bit quiet for a few days but nothing alarming. We immediately separated her from the flock and called our chicken-savvy vet.
She was put on a course of antibiotics, and we made sure she had a stress-free environment with excellent nutrition. It was touch and go for a while – she stopped laying completely and lost some weight, but eventually she perked up again.
While Pepper never returned to her previous egg-laying glory, she’s still with us two years later, happily scratching and dust-bathing with her flock mates. She occasionally produces a normal egg, but mostly she’s retired to being what we call our “ornamental chicken.”
When to Call a Vet
While minor egg abnormalities don’t always require veterinary care, a lash egg is definitely cause for concern. You should consult a poultry vet if:
- You find what appears to be a lash egg
- Your hen shows multiple symptoms of salpingitis
- Your hen’s condition worsens despite home treatment
- You’re unsure about proper medication dosages
- Multiple hens in your flock are affected
Final Thoughts
Finding a lash egg can be a scary experience for any chicken keeper. These strange masses are a warning sign that something’s not right with your hen’s reproductive system, but they don’t necessarily mean you’ll lose your feathered friend.
With prompt attention, proper treatment, and good ongoing care, many hens can recover from salpingitis or at least continue to live comfortable lives after passing a lash egg.
The key takeaways I want you to remember are:
- A lash egg isn’t an egg – it’s a sign of infection
- Early detection and treatment improve outcomes
- Prevention through good husbandry practices is your best defense
- Not all hens with salpingitis will die from the condition
- Always consult with a poultry vet when possible
Have you ever encountered a lash egg in your flock? What was your experience with treatment and recovery? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!
By staying informed and attentive to your chickens’ health, you’ll be better prepared to handle any challenges that come your way – including the strange and somewhat gross phenomenon of lash eggs.
Connection to Broody Hens and the Laying Cycle
Lash eggs can appear when hens are broody as changes in their laying cycle can increase the risk of infection or complications. But both broody and non-broody hens can lay lash eggs so understanding the root causes is key.
To understand lash eggs it’s helpful to first understand broody hen behavior. A broody hen is a hen that is hormonally driven to sit on eggs and hatch chicks—whether there are eggs or not.
When hens go broody:
- They stop laying regular eggs to focus on incubation.
- They spend more time in the nesting box and become more protective.
- Hormonal changes affect their reproductive system.
For most backyard flocks broody behavior is a normal and harmless part of a chicken’s life cycle. But when it coincides with other factors like infection or nutritional deficiencies reproductive health issues like caseous exudate can arise.
How To Recognize A Lash Egg
Wondering how to tell the difference between a lash egg and a regular egg? Here’s what to look for:
- Appearance: Unlike regular eggs, lash eggs don’t have a hard shell. They are irregular, rubbery and can have layers of yellow, brown or red tissue.
- Odor: they can have a foul smell due to pus or decayed material.
- Symptoms in the Hen: Watch for signs like lethargy, loss of appetite or abnormal behavior (e.g. spending too much time in the nesting box).
If you suspect a lash egg check your hen for any other signs of illness and again youll know as its a smelly deal.
A lash egg should be taken seriously as it often means there is an underlying health issue that needs attention. Possible health risks:
- Oviduct Damage or Infection: If left untreated salpingitis can cause permanent damage to the hen’s reproductive tract and be life threatening.
- Egg Laying Complications: Hens that lay caseous exudate may have egg laying issues or prolonged discomfort.
- Quarantine your hen to prevent stress or possible spread of infection.
- Watch her for signs of worsening symptoms.
- Give her access to high quality feed and clean water to help her recover.
How I Treated My Chickens Lash Egg ( Salpingitis )
FAQ
How to treat lash eggs in chickens?
Lash eggs, also known as salpingitis, are a sign of infection in a chicken’s oviduct, often caused by bacteria like E. coli.
Can you eat a lash egg in chickens?
As far as I have read, lash eggs should not prevent you from eating the meat.
Why did my chicken lay a fairy egg?
A “fairy egg,” also known as a “fart egg” or “wind egg,” is a tiny, yolkless egg sometimes laid by chickens. These eggs are usually smaller than a golf ball and may only contain egg white.
Are lash eggs normal?
While lash eggs are rare, if you see one it can be a sign of an underlying health issue in your hen, such as an infection in her oviduct. So it’s important for chicken keepers to know what you’re looking at and how it can affect the reproductive health of your flock.