Common Reproductive Diseases in Hens

Laying hens commonly develop reproductive disorders. After all, we domesticated them to overwork their reproductive systems and produce more food for us. This does not come without consequences.

The ancestor of the domestic chicken, the wild Junglefowl, only lay about 10-15 eggs per breeding season, in clutches of 3 to 7. This is a far cry from our domestic hens who lay nearly daily without mating. Undoubtedly, we can expect that our domestic hens' reproductive systems go through more stress than those of their ancestors.

In general, heritage breeds live much longer than commercially developed breeds because their production rates are lower, therefore putting much less taxing on their bodies.

No matter the breed, they are all vulnerable to these reproductive disorders. If you plan on keeping chickens, you need to know the signs and how to treat them properly.

Reproductive System of a Hen

Egg Yolk Peritonitis

What is it?

Egg yolk peritonitis is caused by a "misfire" of the reproduction system. When eggs are forming in the ovary, it can sometimes fire a yolk into the body (coelomic) cavity before it has formed a shell around it. Since the yolk is exposed to the body cavity, it can grow bacteria, which turns into an infection. The most common bacterial infection caused by egg yolk peritonitis is E. coli. I will spare you the gory images of a chicken's reproductive system with egg yolk peritonitis. The more important things the know are the signs.

Signs

Signs of egg yolk peritonitis include ceasing egg production, depression, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite and evidence of egg yolk material being excreted from the vent. If you see any of these behaviors, consult your veterinarian right away. If you see yellow yolk-like fluid or sometimes waxy substance excreting from the vent, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Treatment

A surgery (called salpingohysterectomy) is successful about half the time in removing all of the infected yolk and preventing bacterial infection. Oral antibiotics can sometimes help if the case is caught before infection has advanced, however it is seldom successful. These infections move quickly due to an ideal breeding grounds for bacteria within the chicken's body cavity. I've unfortunately seen hens die less than 24 hours after showing clinical signs of EYP.

The worst part of this disease is that genetics play a large part in a hen's likelihood of developing EYP. Therefore, even if your treatments and/or surgery are successful, that same hen is highly likely to develop EYP again.

The good news is that sometimes treatment IS successful, so when you see the signs, give it all you've got to get rid of it. The other good news is that there is a treatment that will render your hen sterile and stop her laying cycle all together, therefore eliminating any chance of ever developing EYP again. This involves the use of implants, called Suprelorin. It is a tiny implant that is placed under the skin and prevents certain hormones from being produced.

Vent Gleet

What is it?

Vent gleet is similar to a yeast infection in humans. The fungal infection inflames the cloaca (canal between digestive and reproductive tracts), and causes a stinky, yellowish pasty discharge.

Signs

Common signs are obvious discharge around the vent, a smell similar to fermenting yeast, missing feathers around the vent area, and red inflamed skin around the vent area. You may also notice loose stools, swollen vent, or even some bloody discharge in severe cases. It can be caused by an imbalance of the normal bacteria. This can be brought on by contaminated water, eating moldy food, sour crop, living in unsanitary conditions and stress.

Treatment

The good news is that vent gleet is not very contagious. If left untreated for a prolonged period, it may spread to immune-suppressed chickens within the flock. Since the issue lies within the balance of normal bacteria, typical treatment involves the addition of probiotics supplements to the diet. There are a few brands that make probiotic powders which easily dissolve in water, and the hens will drink it throughout the day. I prefer Animal Health Solutions HenBoost, available on Chewy and at some local feed stores. HenBoost includes digestive enzymes, probiotics, electrolytes and vitamins all in one powder. My chickens seem to love the taste as well and drink more water when I've added this.

Adding apple cider vinegar to the water is also beneficial. It supports to natural flora of the digestive and reproductive systems. It is also known to be good parasite prevention.

An excellent therapeutic treatment for vent gleet is warm epsom salt baths. Soak your hen for about 10 minutes, making sure the water is warm and not hot. Their skin around the vent is sensitive, especially with vent gleet so it should be tested with your inner wrist just like testing baby bottle milk. Perform the bath every day or two until cured.

For aggressive vent gleet, you may try applying an anti-fungal cream such as athlete's foot cream to the vent. I have read about others having success with this, however I have not seen any difference when I tried it myself.

If you have already done all of these treatments and it is still a stubborn case, consult your veterinarian. Nystatin oral suspension may be required if none of the above are helping, for which a prescription is required.

Egg binding

What is it?

Egg binding is an egg that is stuck in the chicken's oviduct. The chicken is unable to pass the egg through on her own, or it is delayed. Egg binding is an emergency situation and can become fatal if the egg is not passed within 24-48 hours. My first recommendation if you see the signs of egg binding is to get the chicken to your veterinarian immediately.

Signs

Depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, and a hardened abdomen. Pick up your hen and carefully feel around the lower abdomen where the oviduct would be. You may feel a fully formed egg, be very careful not to rupture it, which would cause egg yolk peritonitis. It can be caused by a calcium deficiency, however it is also seen in hens with plenty of calcium in their diets.

Treatment

There are several steps to a successful egg binding treatment.

• Administer calcium orally. If your hen has stopped drinking, you'll need to syringe feed her water with calcium supplement in it. You can mix it from crushed tablets or buy it as a premixed liquid suspension. This video and some others on Youtube can display how you can syringe feed your hen.

• Hydrate your hen well. Use an electrolyte powder mixed with water or electrolyte solution.

• At this point, the egg may or may not pass within the next hour. If it does not, move on to the next step.

• Soak the hen in a warm epsom salt bath for 20 minutes. Be sure to check the water temperature with your inner wrist just like testing a baby bottle to ensure you don't burn their skin. While they won't want to get in, most chickens will enjoy the warm water and sit calmly once they feel it. The soak relaxes the muscles around the vent to aid in passing the egg.

• Dry the hen with a towel and lubricate her vent. You can massage the area where the egg is stuck (the ovary) very gently, being sure not to break it. Use a veterinary lubricant, easily found at local feed stores or online.

• Place your hen in a safe, dark place. A clean nesting box that is isolated from your other chickens or a crate is ideal.

• At this point it's a waiting game. You can repeat the bath and massage if she still hasn't passed her egg. If she becomes pale or lethargic, take her to your veterinarian. They may have to remove it manually.

Ovarian cancer

What is it?

Cancer of the ovary. Hens have one functioning ovary, on the left side. This is where the final step of the egg shell and bloom formation takes place. The ovary on the right stops developing after hatching.

Signs

Weight loss, depression, ascites (fluid build up in abdomen), loss of appetite. Hens that are high producing or have a history of egg binding are more susceptible to ovarian cancer.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for ovarian cancer. Keep them comfortable for as long as possible, and know when it is time to humanely euthanize them. Other than humans, chickens are the only known species to develop ovarian cancer.

A flax seed rich diet was shown in a study to be a highly effective preventative measure, as well as reducing the severity of hens who were already diagnosed. If you catch ovarian cancer early enough, it's possible that you can reduce the severity by adding large amounts of flax seed to the diet.

Prolapsed oviduct

What is it?

The lower part of the hen's oviduct turns inside out, protruding through the vent.

Signs

Visible oviduct material protruding from the vent.

Treatment

Attempt to gently clean the protruding tissue and replace it manually, if you feel confident in doing so. If not, your veterinarian can do it. Spray vent with Vetericyn antimicrobial spray a couple of times a day until healed.

Provide calcium and electrolytes supplements for at least a couple of weeks. Calcium helps the muscles to contract correctly. Prolapse may reoccur. If it does, you may need to have a veterinarian surgically repair it to prevent it from recurring again.

Cystic right oviduct

What is it?

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacks that develop in the ovary or on the surface of it. This is likely to happen in the right ovary which lies dormant after hatching and ceases developing. However, it can happen in either ovary. About 10-20% of senior hens will develop ovarian cysts. Small cysts can go unnoticed and may not cause any issues. Some cysts will grow up to the size of a baseball which is an obvious problem.

Signs

Distended abdomen, depression, sitting in the nesting box often and for long periods of time, lethargy, low appetite, low or no egg production. Proper diagnosis can only be performed by a veterinarian, so if you see these signs you may need an ultrasound.

Treatment

Start by isolating your hen from the flock and keep her in a warm, safe place that is quiet and low-stress. Your veterinarian will provide the remainder of the treatment once diagnosed. It may involve a hormonal treatment or surgery if severe. Luckily there is a high success rate in treating ovarian cysts.

Soft shelled eggs

What is it?

The most common cause for a soft-shelled or "rubber" egg is lack of calcium in the hen's diet. Forming a shell around an egg nearly every day requires and enormous amount of calcium.

Soft-shelled eggs may also be caused by disease, though not commonly. If you are feeding the proper amount of calcium and still seeing soft-shelled eggs, there may be an underlying issue effecting the way her body absorbs calcium. Newcastle disease, bumblefoot, viruses and infections can contribute to the problem.

Signs

An egg with a rubbery shell, very thin shell, or no shell at all (just the membrane). Occasionally, this may happen in a perfectly healthy hen. There are a number of glitches like this when it comes to going against nature to produce eggs daily. If it happens once it is not a concern. More than once means you need to look into the diet or signs of disease.

If you see other signs of illness, take your hen to the vet for proper diagnosis and treament.

Treatment

Check your feed and ensure that you are feeding a complete layer diet. "Layer" feeds should contain the necessary amount of calcium for laying hens. If you are feeding scratch, that is insufficient and you will need to supplement with oyster shells.

If the cause is a disease, your veterinarian will be able to advise the proper treatment.