What are lash eggs in chickens? What do you do about it? If you don’t know, you are in the right place.

Although lash eggs are not very common, they do happen, and they are an indicator that your chicken probably has an infection and you might want to take her to a vet.

Lash eggs can turn into a big problem eventually, so if you do find one in your coop, you will want to pay attention to whether your hen seems healthy, is eating and acting normal, or whether she seems in pain or just “off.”

But first…let me explain what lash eggs are in the first place. Plus we’ll talk about what to do if you have lash eggs and how to prevent them in the first place. Let’s go…

What are lash eggs?

If you’re wondering causes lash eggs, then the first thing you should know is despite their name, lash eggs aren’t really eggs at all.

A good lash egg definition starts with their cause: Lash eggs result from Salpingitis—an infection and inflammation of the oviduct, which causes a hen to slough off pus and other material accumulated in her body because of the infection. As the material accumulates, it passes through the oviduct and is laid by the hen.

Humans can get Salpingitis, too, and in humans, it’s an inflammation of a woman’s Fallopian tubes.

As of the time of this post, the reasons why Salpingitis occurs in chickens are not known (the exact parthenogenesis), although identified risk factors might be the fact that industrial farms keep chickens so close together. Another potential cause is hormones.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, Salpingitis and the resulting lash eggs can be caused by different bacteria, including Mycoplasma gallisepticum, E. coli, Salmonella, or Pasteurella multocida. The Merck Veterinary Manual does not recommend a specific treatment, although studies suggest antibiotics might work to cure salpingitis since it’s a bacterial infection. Because several different bacteria can cause salpingitis, the antibiotic to prescribe depends on the cause. You should consult a qualified poultry vet.

Veterinarians have resouces to figure out the best way to treat your flock.

Lash egg appearance

Lash eggs are pretty gross. They’re comprised of a few things, including pus from the infection, and sometimes egg material or possibly tissue. It is comprised of layers of this material that’s accumulated in the oviduct.

Lash eggs laid by your backyard chickens can be soft or hard, and you might find just a small bit of pus-like material or it might be a large object that closely resembles an egg. It may, or may not, have a yolk, egg white, or eggshell. These “eggs” have all kinds of abnormalities.

When you cut it open, you might be able to see the layers of material. I’ve seen lash eggs of all sorts, from ones that look simply like a broken soft shell egg to one that’s a large hunk of disgusting, compressed pus. Some have insides that look like a mix of a baked potato and hard-boiled eggs gone wrong.

Lash eggs generally have an egg-shape, and the reason for that is because they travel through the oviduct. But lash eggs can take a few different forms, and sometimes look more like strange creatures. The underlying commonality is lash eggs are laid like normal eggs. You might find them in your flock’s nesting boxes or random nests they have made around the barn or yard.. 

What to do if your chickens lay lash eggs?

What about egg-laying? For most bakyard chicken owners, egg production isn’t their first priority but many of us do care about that. There’s a bit of controversy about what to do if your backyard chickens lay lash eggs. You might see some advice on Facebook or social media that’s conflicting.

One resolution I see doled out is to cull the hen that lays lash eggs. Many claim that if she lays a lash egg once, she will do it again, making her an unproductive member of your flock.

I don’t necessarily agree with this advice. Largely, this advice is intended for the egg industry, which values the eggs a hen lays more than her life. 

For a large egg farm, from a financial perspective, it makes sense to cull a hen who might be sick or not perform, since the bottom line reigns supreme. 

For a backyard chicken keeper, however, this advice might not be necessary. You might not want to cull a hen that lays lash eggs. If your chickens are acting normal and seemingly otherwise healthy, then culling is not your only option.

For a hen that lays lash eggs, treatment can be sought from a qualified poultry vet. They might suggest putting her on antibiotic treatment to see if they clear up the infection.

The bottom line is lash eggs are the result of an infection. You should consult your vet to see if the infection can be treated under your specific circumstances. 

Is this deadly?

Backyard chickens often hide illness symptoms until it’s too late to help them. However, that does not mean if your hen lays a lash egg you shouldn’t at least get her seen by a qualified poultry vet.

While some hens do die from Salpingitis, many don’t and can return to a normal laying life after the event. I’ve seen hens return to a perfectly productive life after laying lash eggs. She might never do it again, or she might lay regular eggs for a while then lay another lash egg. It’s hard to know what each hen will do.

Can you prevent lash eggs?

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to prevent your hens from laying lash eggs. Even if your hens are healthy and eat an ideal diet, they can still develop Salpingitis. It is, of course, less likely if the hen’s immune system is robust. You can help by feeding a high-quality layer feed and supplementing with vitamins and minerals. 

If you don’t know which hens in your flock are laying lash eggs, then your best bet is to observe your flock to see if anyone looks “off” or sick. Lethargy, ruffled feathers, and isolation are some of the main signs of illness.

Does your flock look healthy? Then just continue to keep an eye on them. If you think your hens might have laid a lash egg, and you’re worried, then your best bet is to bring her to a qualified vet. 

If you’re wondering if can you eat a lash egg (one that looks more normal), then the answer is NO. A lash egg is an accumulation of pus for the most part, and you definitely don’t want to be eating it. I would toss it in the trash or hold onto it if you want to take your hen to the vet.

Is Salpingitis Contagious?

Since publishing this article, I’ve had a few people ask if it’s contagious. I’m not a vet, so I recommend consulting one for a definitive answer. However, here is my take on it. Since salpingitis is an inflammation of the oviduct caused by an infection from E. coli, Salmonella, and the like, I personally wouldn’t be concerned about it being contagious.

Think of it like this—if a human woman had salpingitis (inflammation of her Fallopian tubes), would you be worried?

Since chickens naturally carry a bacteria load in their bodies, they’re already at risk for the infection. If they get a laceration or some small tear in their oviduct (or some other way for the bacteria to enter), it’s possible salpingitis might develop.

Summary

Lash eggs in chickens is a bacterial infection that can happen to any flock. It’s important to watch for signs of illness (for many reasons) and behavior changes. If you find a lash egg you need to determine which hen is laying it and seek out a veterinarian who an help.