It's not contagious. But you may get more if there is an underlying cause affecting others. A heavy parasite load can cause malnutrition leading to too little calcium being absorbed. A bad bag of feed, same result (had it happen-always check the date now). Once it was because the oyster shell dish had filled up with oyster shell dust, so it looked full to my old eyes, but didn't have the larger pieces for sustained calcium release. If you ever start getting misshapen eggs, start investigating right away. If you have a production breed, I think you have to be more vigilant to maintain high calcium levels, or else force them to molt once a year.
I have found that crushed eggshell can get calcium levels up quickly, although oyster shell stays in the crop longer. There have been times I've put down eggshell for them and some of the hens have stood there wolfing it down for several minutes. I think those are the ones that need it, as at other times they won't touch it. I have used calcium gluconate in their water when we don't have eggshells. (I am now occasionally finding it on the top shelf at tractor supply co.) Yogurt or milk can help, although I stopped giving it to mine as it was causing diarrhea in some of them. And, as I mentioned in my old post, if a bird is consistently laying soft shell eggs or inhaling the eggshells, I will force oyster shell down her throat. I put her on my lap, wrap my arms around her, use my non-dominant hand to stretch her neck up, tilt the head back, open her beak (some I can open by pulling on the wattles, others I have to pry their beak open), and toss it in the back of the mouth. I try to get 6 or 7 down every few days until the danger seems to have passed. The oyster shell takes longer to break down, so that's the longer term solution. Usually they stop hogging the crushed eggshells in a few days.
I have found that crushed eggshell can get calcium levels up quickly, although oyster shell stays in the crop longer. There have been times I've put down eggshell for them and some of the hens have stood there wolfing it down for several minutes. I think those are the ones that need it, as at other times they won't touch it. I have used calcium gluconate in their water when we don't have eggshells. (I am now occasionally finding it on the top shelf at tractor supply co.) Yogurt or milk can help, although I stopped giving it to mine as it was causing diarrhea in some of them. And, as I mentioned in my old post, if a bird is consistently laying soft shell eggs or inhaling the eggshells, I will force oyster shell down her throat. I put her on my lap, wrap my arms around her, use my non-dominant hand to stretch her neck up, tilt the head back, open her beak (some I can open by pulling on the wattles, others I have to pry their beak open), and toss it in the back of the mouth. I try to get 6 or 7 down every few days until the danger seems to have passed. The oyster shell takes longer to break down, so that's the longer term solution. Usually they stop hogging the crushed eggshells in a few days.
