[Nat100]

Please can anyone tell me what my chickens are passing because it's not an egg and it's not poo!! 2 of my chickens have passed a weird flesh coloured, u-shaped 'thing' that is almost meaty in texture. It has no smell and doesn't resemble anything. Could it be compacted, undigested food, or maybe compacted unformed eggs?? Oddly it only seems to resemble a piece of cooked chicken (but obviously isn't!!!). Has anyone got any ideas?

[Daisys Mum]

Hi can't help but I have found the same thing before now in my nest boxes

[sagehen]

Hi Nat
Don't worry, it's called a 'lash'. It's when the part of the reproductive system sloughs away. Is it an old chicken?

[Nat100]

No, they're only a year old and just had their first moult. Will it affect their egg-laying then?

[sagehen]

Most times, it happens to old chickens and ex batts, and yes I think it does affect their egg laying, but give it time and see what happens.

[Nat100]

Ok thanks..not great news though!!

[sagehen]

No, I know, and I'm sorry about that, but you never know, she may still have some more egg laying years in her yet!

[plumseverywhere]

I had one of these from one of my 18 month old black rocks  - it was early into them coming back into lay from winter and she's layed some normal eggs since. looked very strange though, almost like a newly hatched dinosaur!

[langdon]

funny that you have put this on,we have just put two of our chucks into
quarantine to treat them for lice and the other day i went to check on them and there
was this small sack thing, which was the size of a small egg.
it seemed to be transparent too. my first thought was get it out to take photo and put it on ere
but one of them eat it.
like your chucks ours are only 12mths.
sorry cant answer your question as we are new to smallholding but hope it gives you some kinda
peace that others have the same probs too.
hope things get better let us know

[northfifeduckling]

sometimes you get eggs wih no shell, I had a few from the young ducks - but that's not what you meant? 

[Helencus]

Hi, I have 16 ex bats and i've had the same a couple of times. Not sure if it's affected their laying as I can never tell who is and who isn't laying to be honest as i'm usually at work so can't watch and as ex bats they don't lay 1 a day every day anyway. I also get a few eggs with no shells or wrinkly shells but as I understand it that's not an issue, happens in about 10% of the eggs they lay or so the vet tells me... or is that just ex-bats?

[sagehen]

In Langdon's case, that's a shell-less egg, not the same stuff that Nat was talking about, which is a rubbery meaty piece.
Helen, with the wrinkly shells, is it wrinkly all the way, or just the tops, and if you break it, is the albumin watery?

[Helencus]

just the tops sagehen and no the egg is fine.

[sagehen]

Probably just stress then. The worry is when you get wrinkly eggs all over and liquid albumen.

[Helencus]

what's that then when you get that?