Hen egg tract disorders are non infectious disease found in poultry which causes deformed eggs, infections, other health issues and even death. During peak production your hen can lay an egg once ever 23-26 hours. To understand more about egg tract disorders it is important to understand how the egg travels through the egg tract in hens.
Virtual+Chicken SD. (2018)
When the egg yolk leaves the ovary and sheds into the oviduct (the tube which the ovum aka. egg passes through) it travels down and as it travels other parts of the egg are added until the shell is completely formed and then the egg is laid. Egg tract disorders can happen during this process.
There are three main egg tract disorders in hens. Egg bound, Prolapse, and Egg Peritonitis.
Egg-bound:
A hen is described as egg-bound when an egg lodges in its oviduct and it cannot expel it. This can be caused either by a larger than normal egg, or when the muscles used in laying eggs are weak. The egg can be removed by inserting a lubricated finger into the cloaca and using the other hand to squeeze the egg out. If this fails, the egg should be broken with a sharp object and all the pieces of the shell removed. Holding the bird over a pan of hot water may relax the muscles of the oviduct and facilitate the removal of the egg. After the egg is removed, the bird should be allowed to recover in a separate coop to prevent other birds from pecking the cloaca
Prolapse:
When a hen lays an egg, the lower part of the oviduct is momentarily everted through the cloaca. Normally, the hen can retract the oviduct after laying. Prolapse occurs when the hen cannot retract the oviduct and a part of it remains outside the body. This condition is most common in overweight, older hens and in early laying pullets of low body weight. Other birds will peck at the red protrusion and cannibalism usually follows. It is unlikely that a bird with prolapse will recover and it should be destroyed.
Egg peritonitis:
The egg yolk provides a good medium for bacterial growth and may sometimes become infected while it is still inside the bird. Infection may occur while the yolk is moving down the egg tract or when a yolk fails to enter the oviduct and is shed into the body cavity.
There are three main egg tract disorders in hens. Egg bound, Prolapse, and Egg Peritonitis.
Egg-bound:
A hen is described as egg-bound when an egg lodges in its oviduct and it cannot expel it. This can be caused either by a larger than normal egg, or when the muscles used in laying eggs are weak. The egg can be removed by inserting a lubricated finger into the cloaca and using the other hand to squeeze the egg out. If this fails, the egg should be broken with a sharp object and all the pieces of the shell removed. Holding the bird over a pan of hot water may relax the muscles of the oviduct and facilitate the removal of the egg. After the egg is removed, the bird should be allowed to recover in a separate coop to prevent other birds from pecking the cloaca
Prolapse:
When a hen lays an egg, the lower part of the oviduct is momentarily everted through the cloaca. Normally, the hen can retract the oviduct after laying. Prolapse occurs when the hen cannot retract the oviduct and a part of it remains outside the body. This condition is most common in overweight, older hens and in early laying pullets of low body weight. Other birds will peck at the red protrusion and cannibalism usually follows. It is unlikely that a bird with prolapse will recover and it should be destroyed.
Egg peritonitis:
The egg yolk provides a good medium for bacterial growth and may sometimes become infected while it is still inside the bird. Infection may occur while the yolk is moving down the egg tract or when a yolk fails to enter the oviduct and is shed into the body cavity.
More About Egg Tract Disorders |
1. (2018). Nt.gov.au. Retrieved 3 April 2018, from https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/233062/non-infectious-diseases.pdf
2. Virtual+Chicken SD. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 19 July 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6j13-9Pexw
2. Virtual+Chicken SD. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 19 July 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6j13-9Pexw
