calcium deficiency in hens

[Nikiliz]

have a young isa brown who started laying around 6 moths ago
rarely do i see any eggs from her
when i have they are very pale compared to other hens eggs. Rough textured also
Is there a calcium supplement or something i can do for this

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Oyster shells are a great source of calcium.

 

[FortCluck]

You can feed them back their own egg shells. I prefer that over anything else because it's better than throwing the shells away in the trash.

 

[Folly's place]

What is she eating? Calcium is only one ingredient, other things are in play here.
Do you mean that the yolks are pale? or is it the shell color? Yolk color is diet related, and shell color is genetic, not diet related.
Mary

 

[Ebony Rose]

Pimpled Eggs:
Classified by small lumps of calcified material on the egg shell, the severity of pimples depends on the foreign material present during the calcification process.
This type of deformity has bumps like pimples on it.

Causes:

• Bird age
• Strain of bird
• Inadequate nutrition

Calcium Deposits:
These eggs are classified by white, irregularly shaped spots deposited on the external surface of the shell.

Causes:

• Defective shell gland
• Disturbances during calcification
• Excess calcium in the diet

What exactly do you mean when you say 'pimpled', as these two types of eggs listed above could be called pimpled, yet clearly have different issues and solutions at play.

 

[Nikiliz]

What is she eating? Calcium is only one ingredient, other things are in play here.
Do you mean that the yolks are pale? or is it the shell color? Yolk color is diet related, and shell color is genetic, not diet related.
Mary

The egg shell is pale
compared to other eggs from the other girl
her eggs are also much smaller and almost round with a spiral pattern of darker colour
They get fed a good quality scratch mix which all other girls have been fed
She is free range over half an acre and has plenty of fresh water around the paddock
she spends time in the house yard
Gets raw vegetables and shell grit

 

[ChickenCanoe]

As Mary said, shell color is genetic. The color of the shell comes from pigment, not calcium.
Genetics control the type and amount of pigment layered on the shell. ISA Browns are hybrids so that may have something to do with it.
Scratch isn't a complete feed but a supplement that should be offered sparingly if at all.
Oyster shell isn't grit. Grit is insoluble stones that stay in the gizzard for a period.
Scratch is low in protein as are vegetables.

 

[Folly's place]

In GB, 'grit' seems to mean oyster shell, not small stones. I'm not sure what the term is there for the rocky material that we call grit.
I'm also not sure what 'good quality scratch' is. Nutrition profile? Is it labeled as a complete feed?
Mary

 

[Nikiliz]

i’m in australia and the she’ll grit is crush up shells
I asked my father who has bred and owned show chickens for over 60 years
but unfortunately his memory isn’t very good
He did say it sounds like a deficiency of some kind

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Your complaint is about pale and rough textured eggs- not thin or soft shells. So there isn't a problem with calcium.