BO has thin shell issues over the last week...

[TwoCrows]

I was feeding layer feed all last fall to my pullets, but then somewhere along the lines switched to a flock raiser. I kept a big dish of oyster shell always near the food and water as free choice, to which I saw them many times digging in.

For the first few weeks or so, the egg shells were nice and thick. But over the next month, I could tell the shells were getting thinner and thinner and some eggs were breaking upon coming out of the birds butts.

So I went back to a layer feed and the shells are again hard. So it is possible that the birds are unable to break down the oystershell and absorb it as easily as they would if they were on a layer feed. I found that the ground oyster shell that is made for automatic feeders goes undigested thru the chicken, as I have found many shards in their poop. But the pullet sized chunks tend to get ground down by the gizzard a lot easier. I have never seen any residue oyster shell in the poop from the pullet sized.

You could try feeding the hens high in calcium foods and maybe being in food naturally, will be absorbed better. I have heard Kale is very high in calcium. So is alfalfa leaves. I throw my girls a flake of alfalfa hay each week for them to tear apart. They will not eat the stems, but go after the leaves and seeds.

 

[Jeffross1968]

Calcium absorption may be the problem. Vitamin boost and or changing her ph level may help.

How is that done?

 

[Den in Penn]

Vitamin D is the one that helps with calcium absorption. Ask at the feed store as to what they have. The booster most of them have is usually added to the water. You can also use children's vitamins either liquid or crushed tablets, I don't know how well the tablets dissolve. Making the pH level more acidic helps with the calcium uptake. Apple cider vinegar in the water is one way to change the hens pH balance. I don' know if you should do both in the water at the same time. As I have a metal waterer I don't use ACV.