Long-term Calcium Citrate Use?

[TooCheep]

I am definitely adding this into my regimen for my hen with reproductive issues.

Please report back how it goes.

 

[5hanell]

I have a Leghorn mix hen who will be 2 this March. The past week and a half she has been laying shell-less/soft shell eggs. After the first one, I gave her calcium citrate (2 tablets that according to the bottle is equal to 630mg) mixed in a little water that she willingly drank. I gave her that for 2 days and she laid two eggs with a shell. I stopped after that, but two days later she laid another soft shelled egg that I had to help remove.
I tried giving her some more calcium citrate, but she wouldn't drink all of it, so I don't think it was as effective and she laid another soft shell egg the next day (yesterday).
My question is whether it's safe to give calcium citrate long term and what else I should try in treating this issue. Worming maybe? Vitamin supplements?
They all get the same food (16% layer feed, no treats besides the occasional quack snacks, free choice grit and oyster shell), but she's the only one having issues.

What kind of feed do you use?

 

[JewelBirds]

Just an update for Creme Brulee. Still laying soft shell eggs. I tried the calcium and vitamin E, no noticeable differences. Also tried deworming after that. At first I thought it worked (I think she laid one or two hard shell eggs - it can be hard to tell her and her sister's eggs apart). Then the soft shell eggs appeared again.
Now that I've ruled out diet (I think so anyway, unless anyone has any other suggestions to try), I'm not really sure where to go from here. I've just been keeping an eye on her, pulling out anything that gets stuck (sometimes they break when she lays them, leaving the membrane sticking out of her vent, so I just gently pull out the rest for her). Past few weeks she did have a couple of soft-shell eggs, but nothing fully formed.

 

[JewelBirds]

What kind of feed do you use?

They get Sprout 16% layer feed crumbles, free choice grit and oyster shell

 

[TooCheep]

Clarification: It is calcium + vitamin D3. Vitamin E is a different treatment. How long did you try it?

 

[JewelBirds]

Clarification: It is calcium + vitamin D3. Vitamin E is a different treatment. How long did you try it?

Yes.
I tried both for 7 days.

 

[azygous]

I have an idea. Perhaps this little gal is having an issue with absorption. Vitamin D is important for absorption and so is magnesium, but magnesium isn't very often added to feed. If you're feeding layer feed, look on the sew tag and see how much D3 and magnesium is in it.

If it's lower than 36mg magnesium, try giving her about that much each day as a supplement. Same with the D3, pop a 25mcg D3 oil cap into her each day for the next month and see what happens.

Then make sure she has easy access to oyster shell. If the additional D3 and magnesium doesn't improve her shells, then probably nothing will.

 

[JewelBirds]

I have an idea. Perhaps this little gal is having an issue with absorption. Vitamin D is important for absorption and so is magnesium, but magnesium isn't very often added to feed. If you're feeding layer feed, look on the sew tag and see how much D3 and magnesium is in it.

If it's lower than 36mg magnesium, try giving her about that much each day as a supplement. Same with the D3, pop a 25mcg D3 oil cap into her each day for the next month and see what happens.

Then make sure she has easy access to oyster shell. If the additional D3 and magnesium doesn't improve her shells, then probably nothing will.

Okay thank you, I will try that. I checked the label, there isn't any magnesium added to it. Does that mean I should add something to the feed for all the laying hens?

 

[azygous]

I wouldn't go adding vitamins and minerals to feed as a general policy. I recommend only doing it for a hen that is having stubborn shell issues, and only for as long as it takes to see improvement. Notice I only recommended the magnesium and D3 for one month.

 

[BigBlueHen53]