Calcium water supliment suggestions needed

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I don't use calcium supplements, but my well water is loaded with calcium, so it's similar. I still on occasion have hens with weaker than normal shells. (my older girls, but they are not soft shelled eggs)

 

[chickenray]

Thanks all for your input... I have tried the greens treats with more calcium thing.... and no help. Lots of money for eggs made at home with no fruition except for the first 9 mos of production.

It may just be this particular BO's chemistry. If the CalciBoost in the water doesn't help after a while I will just have to conclude that she is a more than usually messy pet hen. It is really an ant magnet... the soft eggs. Can't eat her as the kids would have my head. Her sister is doing fine so there is enough calcium available in their diet.

Will keep all posted when the CalciBoost comes if that helps.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Try this:

http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_78&products_id=444

 

[chickenray]

thanks Mac the CalciBoost has D3 (and Magnesium) in it too and it is already on order....

 

[featherbaby]

Thanks Mac in Abilene. I will order this product and try it. I have used calciBoost and don't think it is working. This one is made for poultry so I'm giving it a try.

Imp, I appreciate the list of calcium rich foods. I am using some of them already, but will add some of the others to their diet. Interestingly today I fed them worms raised by a friend and BYC member. I guess they'd never seen anything quite like that and they didn't know what to do with them. I didn't know a chicken could look absolutely puzzled.....but mine did.. They finally ate them, almost begrudgingly, HA! Go figure.

 

[usschicago1]

Calcium Should Only Be Offered Free-Choice

Regarding the letter "Ground Eggshells Add Calcium" (June/July, 2010, page 10), I would like to point out that reader Sarah R. was forcing her chickens to eat the eggshells by mixing them with mashed apples after they didn't seem to want anymore.

The only safe way to give chickens calcium is from sources such as oyster shell or other non-chicken products. Feeding them egg products can be dangerous even though we cannot perceive any problems.

Life forms live in extremely hot temperatures so boiling and/or baking eggshells may never kill everything as we do not know what is still living within. Things can be so tiny an electron microscope will not show us all that is possible.

—Charles M., Virginia

According to Gail Damerow, author of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, "I agree that a calcium source should not be mixed with other food to force or encourage hens to eat it. Calcium should be offered separately, free choice, so hens can take as much or as little (or none) as they want/need.

"Feeding eggshells back to hens should not be a problem, provided: the hens are healthy to start with, the shells are from fresh (not incubated) eggs, the shell membranes are removed, the shells are clean and thoroughly dry, the shells are crushed."

The following information on calcium, and a useful feeding station example below are courtesy of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, 3rd edition, updated and revised 2010; available in the Backyard Poultry Bookstore. —Ed.

Calcium

Calcium is needed by laying hens to keep eggshells strong. The amount of calcium a hen needs varies with her age, diet, and state of health; older hens, for instance, need more calcium than younger hens. Hens on pasture obtain some amount of calcium naturally, but illness may cause a calcium imbalance. In warm weather, when all chickens eat less, the calcium in a hen's ration may not be enough to meet her needs, and a hen that gets too little calcium lays thin-shelled eggs. On the other hand, a hen that eats extra ration in an attempt to replenish calcium gets fat and becomes a poor layer.

Eggshells consist primarily of calcium carbonate, the same material found in oyster shells, aragonite, and limestone. All laying hens should have access to a separate hopper full of crushed oyster shells, ground aragonite, or chipped limestone (not dolomitic limestone, which can be detrimental to egg production).

Phosphorus Connection

Phosphorus and calcium are interrelated —a hen's body needs one to metabolize the other. Phosphorus is a naturally occurring chemical element needed by hens to metabolize calcium. Without an adequate amount of phosphorus, calcium cannot be absorbed and hens may experience calcium deficiency and lay thin-shelled eggs despite the availability of a calcium supplement.

Range-fed hens obtain some phosphorus and calcium by eating beetles and other hard-shelled bugs, but they may not get enough. Sources of phosphorus include defluorinated rock phosphate and charcoal (biochar). The correct ratio of phosphorus to calcium is 1:2. When both supplements are offered separately and free choice, the hens will ingest the correct balance.
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/5/5-4/calcium_should_only_be_offered_free-choice.html

 

[chickenray]

@usschicago1 and ALL

Thanks for the article. I read that per your suggestion prior to your posting it directly here. The one thing that stands out to me is the bit where they say you should not force calcium... it should be free choice... and that is exactly not where I am headed which concerns me. I have provided enough free choice calcium via oyster shell that the run is an oyster shell grave yard.

I'm going with the CalciBoost which has the D3 + that mac suggested (he just suggested the D3) in the water... I'm hoping that it works. Won't do it forever but this is a last ditch effort to hopefully bring her chemistry back.

I appreciate all the suggestions from everyone. The phosphorus is an interesting one (add match sticks?).

I would be super happy if anyone has actually been through this and knows what to do.

Thanks all,
Ray

 

[chickenray]

i'm going to crush up some mesquite charcoal right now and put it in the run.... what harm...

 

[Cindy in PA]

I had a BO that I got in 2008 that layed almost everyday for 6 months. Most of those eggs where thin shelled and sand papery. Nothing changed except in Feb. of that year, she quit laying or sometimes I would find just yolks in the nextbox. She lived until her first molt and then passed away. Here BO sister NEVER laid and egg that I know of & passed away after the first molt also. Don't know what hatchery they came from, as I got them locally as pullets.

 

[chickenray]

Candy, That is a bummer. Maybe BOs just aren't the best for egg production.

Sorry about your loss... I know our family will be sad if that happens to us...