Weird poo and poorly hybrid chicken

[Restrainedrabbit]

My 2yr old hybrid Cadbury has not laid for two weeks and has produced some weird poos, two look liked she had pooed a white jelly umbilical cord and one was looked identical to cooked chicken!? Today she is hunched up, sat in the nesting box, got a pale crop and is very quiet. Any ideas?

[mummymeister]

With a poorly chicken you have to kind of make a difficult decision. either you go and speak to your vet and ask them whats wrong or you sit it out and see. if they are really not eating or drinking then either you have to do the decent thing if you thinks its terminal or just keep them inside in a box and feed/water them to see if they pick up. chickens are prone to all sorts of stuff - sometimes its what they eat and sometimes age. if not obviously egg bound or crop bound. it all depends on whether you want to pay for the vet or just sit it out. i would bring her inside in a box and feed/water every couple of hours. no change in 48 or no obvious problem then we tend not to leave them to suffer and get worse. good luck - horrible to have to deal with.

[TunipTheVegemal]

The strange poo thing is called a lash.

[TunipTheVegemal]

Apologies for brevity of that post, I had to go and have dinner!
I don't know what the white jelly bit is but the cooked chicken one (the 'lash') is part of the lining of their reproductive tract. It often happens when they're at the end of their laying life - it very often means you won't get any more eggs. (It did when mine laid one.) Hybrids often lay very hard for two years then stop suddenly.
Given that she has other symptoms too, I'd follow Mummymeister's advice. It does sound like she's in pain so if she doesn't perk up soon you might need to step in one way or the other.

[Restrainedrabbit]

Thank you that is really helpful. Spoke to a chicken breeder this evening and she said it sounds like a rupture of the egg laying tract which is obviously incur able and fits with what you said :( just incase it's not she said to give it another 24hrs and if she is no better or worse she'll do the kindest thing. My six year old dd is devastated as Cadbury is her chicken :(

[Restrainedrabbit]

Egg peritonitis is the word I'm looking for.

[Restrainedrabbit]

Cadbury died in the night, I'm so upset :(

[TunipTheVegemal]

Sorry about your chicken, RestrainedRabbit.

[Restrainedrabbit]

Thanks Tunip, but it was the best thing for her as she was clearly very poorly :(