faulty shell gland?

[guest226]

I’m trying to figure out the reason why my hen got egg bound on a shell less egg.

Today while she was sleeping she laid a very thin shelled egg that was light in color and felt rough and slightly sandpaper-y. It broke in my hand. Am I giving her too much calcium citrate? How can i stop thin shelled eggs without giving calcium?

Before she got egg bound she was laying hard strong eggs. Is this thin egg a result of stress from egg bounding?

 

[azygous]

It's not a question with one simple answer. Many factors can affect shell quality. Age, nutrient deficiencies, not enough sunlight, hormonal issues, stress, illness. Take your pick.

Calcium citrate should only be given for a couple of weeks max. Too much can cause kidney stones.

 

[guest226]

It's not a question with one simple answer. Many factors can affect shell quality. Age, nutrient deficiencies, not enough sunlight, hormonal issues, stress, illness. Take your pick.

Calcium citrate should only be given for a couple of weeks max. Too much can cause kidney stones.

she's 3 years old as has been laying consistently for a while
I gave her 300 mg of calcium citrate every day for about a whole week. Then I limited to once every few days for a week. I did read online that excess calcium can result in powdery eggs, and that is similar to what I found in the roost. Should I stop the calcium if its doing more harm or keep going??

 

[azygous]

I usually place a two week maximum on the calcium citrate. It's potent stuff. If it's going to accomplish anything, it will have done so in two weeks.

Try putting a fourth of a teaspoon of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) in a cup of water and give it to the hen once a day for a week. That can help correct a magnesium deficiency that can cause poor shell quality.