Calcium deficiency?

[PeachyPeckers]

My BR is about 17 months old, so over 1 year old. For the past month or 2 she has been laying eggs with dark spot on the top (or bottom?). Sometimes the spot is bigger and sometimes it's smaller. Sometimes the eggs are very pale and the dark spot is really noticeable. Sometimes the egg has good color and the spot is barely noticeable. See Picture.

I have been struggling to get her to eeatdried crushed egg or oyster shells. She used to eat the egg shells but I noticed that she is snubbing the egg AND oyster shells. She won't even take any from my hand. She doesn't want to eat the Calcium supplements I geuss? I didnt really think anything of it because I assumed if she needs it she'll eat it.

Yesterday she laid a soft shell egg and the shell was all cracked immediately after it was laid. The shell feels like mushy.
See picture.

I crushed up a tums and feed to her in some mash up fresh blueberries. She was hesitant but I got her to eat it from my hand. She normally loves blueberries.

Last night in her sleep, she laid another soft shell. I came out this morning to find the egg broken under the roosting bars.

Is there anything I can do for her? Maybe more tums? How much should I giver her? What would cause that dark spot and discoloration of the egg? I have egg shells and oyster shells out as free choice but she just refuses to eat it. My other chickens are coming into laying age and I see the eating the shells all the time.

Could it be something else and not a calcium deficiency? What else can I give her for calcium?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don’t think I would do Tums because of the colorings and stuff plus I don’t think it’s that strong. I would get some calcium citrate tablets or pills or whatever and feed those. You can just shove the pill into her mouth and she should swallow. Easier than trying to trick her into eating something. @Wyorp Rock or @Eggcessive might have the dosages and what type.

 

[PeachyPeckers]

I don’t think I would do Tums because of the colorings and stuff plus I don’t think it’s that strong. I would get some calcium citrate tablets or pills or whatever and feed those. You can just shove the pill into her mouth and she should swallow. Easier than trying to trick her into eating something. @Wyorp Rock or @Eggcessive might have the dosages and what type.

I read that you can give tums to chickens and I had it on hand. Tums active ingredient is calcium citrate but maybe your right about the dyes and flavorings. Where do I find just straight up calcium citrate pills? Also what other types of free choice calcium could I offer? Maybe she wants something else instead of egg and oyster shell.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I read that you can give tums to chickens and I had it on hand. Tums active ingredient is calcium citrate but maybe your right about the dyes and flavorings. Where do I find just straight up calcium citrate pills? Also what other types of free choice calcium could I offer? Maybe she wants something else instead of egg and oyster shell.

You probably can give it to them, I just personally am not sure how good it would be for them. And you can find the human ones at any store pretty much. Someone else will have the dosages I’m sure. And what kind of oyster shell are you feeding? Some birds don’t like the plain crushed type and prefer flaked oyster shell. You might try that.

 

[PeachyPeckers]

You probably can give it to them, I just personally am not sure how good it would be for them. And you can find the human ones at any store pretty much. Someone else will have the dosages I’m sure. And what kind of oyster shell are you feeding? Some birds don’t like the plain crushed type and prefer flaked oyster shell. You might try that.

Oh I didn't know that there was different types of oyster. Here's a picture of the things I give them. I offer free choice dried, crushed egg shells, and this oyster shell and grit. I'm not sure if the oyster crushed or flakes, i don't know the difference and the package doesn't say. And I sprinkle a handful of the grubs/worms treats for them to forage in the morning for protein. It's weird because she used to eat egg shells out of my hand and she used to go crazy for them. Now she doesn't want any of the Calcium choices, i never see her eat the grit either!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh I didn't know that there was different types of oyster. Here's a picture of the things I give them. I offer free choice dried, crushed egg shells, and this oyster shell and grit. I'm not sure if the oyster crushed or flakes, i don't know the difference and the package doesn't say. And I sprinkle a handful of the grubs/worms treats for them to forage in the morning for protein. It's weird because she used to eat egg shells out of my hand and she used to go crazy for them. Now she doesn't want any of the Calcium choices, i never see her eat the grit either!

That looks like the flakes. Maybe try this type? It’s more like rock. She might like it better. If you have a Tractor Supply near you Manna Pro sells this type or Dumor or Purina, really any one you can find would be fine.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Or I think Petco sells it too.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Walmart might have some too and they would have the human calcium stuff too.

 

[Eggcessive]

Tums is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is fine to use, but the calcium citrate is more easily absorbed. Calf rate is a brand name of calcium citrate. Reading labels helps. Aim for around 600 mg of calcium daily for a 4-6 pound hen and above. A bantam would get about 200 mg. The vitamin D is helpful in the tablets. I would not worry about dyes and flavors in the Tums since they are good for humans. For a hen laying shell-less eggs I would treat for a week. For an egg bound chicken, I would give it once a day until she lays. Same for a prolapsed vent, until it goes inside.

 

[PeachyPeckers]

Tums is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is fine to use, but the calcium citrate is more easily absorbed. Calf rate is a brand name of calcium citrate. Reading labels helps. Aim for around 600 mg of calcium daily for a 4-6 pound hen and above. A bantam would get about 200 mg. The vitamin D is helpful in the tablets. I would not worry about dyes and flavors in the Tums since they are good for humans. For a hen laying shell-less eggs I would treat for a week. For an egg bound chicken, I would give it once a day until she lays. Same for a prolapsed vent, until it goes inside.

Ha i thought i read the label, must have missread on tums, it's early. Thanks for the info.