poorly hen:(

Yesterday I noticed betty wasn't right.  Not her usual chatty self, kept low to the fooor...couldn't feel an egg . My other half said she had picked up by lunchtime. Todsy she is much the same. But not eating.  I have brought her into the warm. Eyes & nose clear, vent a little mucky. She has been through a partial moult already.

Any ideas?

Thx. I have taken her to the vets. Initial thoughts were broken egg. They have given a weeks worth of antibiotics & pain relief... If she's not better by the w/e I need to take her back. She is spending the night in the house, I'll pop her back in with the girls before dawn tomorrow.

it looks like a lash, which is part of the reproductive tract being expelled. Sometimes they can still lay eggs but usually not. When I cut open a lash one of mine had passed it resembled wafer thin ham as it had loads of layers.

no not always, I have had several and they have all been different in softness/hardness and size although mine have never really smelt bad - perhaps your girls has been stuck inside her for a while, hence the feeling unwell.

I agree with Joyfull. Your photo of the lash looks as though it might be quite big, although it is difficult to be sure, so it has probably been quite compressed in order for her to pass it. She will probably feel better now and as it smells the antibiotics will help. Good luck 

Thanks for your comments. So, Betty is going through her Henopause although the shell was fairly solid, when we opened it is  like a thick liquid. That smelt bad too.