Soft egg shell stuck in vent

[azygous]

Yes, do the lotus leaf, and also calcium citrate for several days to regulate her cycle. Two eggs in a cycle is something that needs to be corrected.

 

[Sally PB]

Thank you, @azygous!

 

[Sally PB]

Getting the calcium pills into Pip has led to some inventiveness. The "pull down on the wattles and pop the pill in her beak" might work if I had help, or if I took her off the roost at night.

Help isn't going to be available. Taking her off the roost at night would be a struggle, as she roosts at the far end, next to the wall, facing away. When I've tried to hold her and get her beak open, she thrashes and then avoids me. (Understandably.)

I tried cutting the pills in half. They're still too large for her to take, even with peanut butter. Even quarters are suspect, and are usually dropped.

ALL the birds flock around when they see momma giving Pip a PB pill, so she doesn't get them all.

Yesterday, I tried putting the chunks of pill into a blueberry. This works really well. The pills get a bit mushy, so they aren't big chunks, and Pip takes them readily. I take out several plain berries too, and the other girls get those.

Now that she knows what they are, they go down the hatch as soon as she sees it in my hand.

 

[azygous]

It's always nice when it turns out that you can believe you've outsmarted a chicken.

 

[Sally PB]

It's always nice when it turns out that you can believe you've outsmarted a chicken.

For awhile, anyway!

 

[orelsi]

Getting the calcium pills into Pip has led to some inventiveness.

I am a big fan of crushing all pills and mixing them with water in a tea spoon then pouring it in the beak. Gently pinching the sides of the beak with thumb and index finger usually makes them open up.

Also, check this one here

 

[Sally PB]

Well... I wonder if I gave her too many blueberries with calcium. Not because of egg issues, but two days ago, she was not interested in them. At all. Or her green pill (the lotus leaf extract).

I had been giving her 500 - 600 mg calcium citrate plus D. Estimate due to cutting the pills and sometimes other birds getting them.

I visited the ladies later that day, and Pip was listless, not interested in food/water, or treats. Or anything but sitting by me, but not on my lap.

I got a chance to run my hand over her chest and felt a nice full crop... Uh oh. Is it impacted? I hadn't seen her eat at all that day.

I felt it the next morning, and it had gone down. She also ate a bit, but less than what I thought was normal. By afternoon, she seemed more like herself. No calcium that day, just in case that was what had blocked her up.

The next day, she was fine. Yesterday, they all got weed snack from the garden, and she was happy to scratch and peck with the others.

 

[azygous]

She's probably had enough calcium by now. Give her kidneys a break and stop giving it for now.

If she's fighting an infection, it would account for bad days and good days. Her immune system is probably working as hard as it can. It's a good sign that she can demonstrate improvement rather than a steady decline. Be encouraged.

 

[Sally PB]

Be encouraged.

Thank you! I am.

 

[Sally PB]

I've been looking into thyroxine as a treatment for thin/soft shells, based on this website:
https://www.hightoppoultry.com/why-chickens-laying-thin-shell-eggs/

and this comment:

Thyroid dysfunction​

Thyroid dysfunction in chickens will seriously affect the absorption and utilization of calcium, thereby producing thin-shell eggs or soft-shell eggs. Feeding thyroxine tablets for 3-5 days can quickly harden the eggshell.

I've just started going down this rabbit hole, and have not found much direct study; related studies having to do with how the thyroid gland works in relationship to egg production.

I'll keep looking for more information, and report on any findings. At least thyroxine is available; I've found it (synthetic) for dogs and horses.