Chronic weak egg problem (thin shells, or no shells). How to fix??

[Malpower]

I sure know how you feel! That is just what happened with my hen. Do try some of the remedies we've talked about in this thread, can't hurt, can only help and probably only big expense might be the vet -- I can certainly vouch for everything I've done so far with Lucy -- on top of the vet visits and a couple of injections (calcium and Lupron), I've been faithfully getting lots more calcium than what would generally be given into her, and as you can read above, it's certainly been working well, and problem has cleared up very quickly since a week ago. She was dropping "ugly" eggs for a month or two before I had the vet out -- wish I'd done it sooner because she was really not very well and losing calcium from bones and perhaps other body organs by time vet got here. I've always had the normal, recommended calcium around in food, feed, extra oyster shell, daily cheese, yogurt, etc. but it didn't fill the bill, at least for Lucy. And as I just mentioned just above, being flooded with all this extra calcium has benefited the other girls too! Please let us know if you try the extra calcium and things like calcium glubionate (which you can get from your vet or as Kay has found on the Internet) AND let us know how it works. Good luck with your girls!

 

[Malpower]

I am back with an update!

The girls turned out to have tapeworms, so vet and a tech were back here today to inject them all and to check on Lucy. It was quite a circus trying to catch the hens, but all turned out well. All 4 are underweight and guess the tapeworms explain that. They all got shots of Praziquantel which is a one shot, fast-acting drug -- vet said I only needed to throw away the next two-three days worth of eggs -- drug out of their system very quickly.

As to Lucy and the original calcium question: Even though she'd had her dose of calcium syrup today, vet gave her another dose -- he can get that beak open, I can't. He said she really can't be overdosed, the more the better!

He said to give Lucy and the other girls the calcium syrup everyday -- Lucy the bigger dose but sprinkle drops on the veggies and cheese and yogurt I give all of them in evening. He said even when they molt, to just continue with it -- he quite honestly didn't think I should stop giving it. He said even when they molt, it will help them all gain back calcium lost when laying. Otherwise, he thought I should just continue on as I am, giving them lots of calcium-rich stuff everyday -- yogurt, Kale, cheeses, greens and veggies, and anything I come up with and just do it here on out!

That's all easy and fortunately the calcium glubionate isn't real expensive and lasts for quite a while and they all will eat it on bread.

So, for now, I guess that's it! I'm hoping they'll gain some weight and sooner or later Lucy will start laying nice eggs again -- we hope not for another 4 or 5 weeks. She hasn't laid a thing since the Lupron shot and she's definitely back to her old self -- a couple of her poor "sisters" have bare patches on their necks from Lucy "humping" them -- vet said that the patches would be far worse if a rooster was doing it, as long as there's no blood, it's to be expected from a dominant but skinny hen like Lucy!!

Will check back on this thread if any more bumps in the calcium story!

Kerry

 

[Malpower]

I'm probably only talking to myself now, but in case feathersnuggles and others might still be following the shell-less egg story.......another bump in the road has turned up!

Lucy has started to drop "ugly" eggs from the roost at night again -- starting yesterday with a mushy shell and splattered egg, and this morning there was no shell, just splattered egg. Have a call into the vet cuz it looks like maybe that Lupron injection only worked for a week or so. <huge sigh>

She's also been drinking lots of water and then just shooting out nothing but water rather than poop!

Back to being anxious and worried and hope vet might have an idea of what's going on! And here I thought everything was going so well!

Kerry

 

[kayri]

Hope Lucy is doing well, my vet said that Lupron sometimes doesn't work in chickens because they are SO programed to Lay, Lay, Lay!!!!! It dodn't work for my poor old Midnight and we had to put her down (not for shellelss eggs, but as an internal layer).

I've been giving calcium glubionate in their yogurt every day. they all get it, but Ruby is the major yogurt eater and I think she gets the most. They have been getting it for about 10 days now. She stopped laying for a week or so, but got another shell-less egg today. I don't mind (i guess) as long as they don't break inside her. The other girls are turning out eggs as hard as rocks, so I guess that is good. Maybe Ruby will go into a molt soon, it is awfully hot here.. . and that will reset her system. I'll keep hoping.

Kay

 

[Malpower]

Hi Kay!

NIce to hear from you! I stopped writing on this thread cuz I figured I was just talking to myself

but have communicated privately with a couple of people about our ongoing "story"!

I'm glad to hear that the calcium glub. is working to a degree with you -- sounds like your one girl is doing what Lucy did. My other hens have been benefiting like yours from the extra calcium in their diet, including the calcium glubionate that they also get -- bigger eggs for one thing.

But Lucy got really sick, she hadn't been eating and was very lethargic and obviously not well -- this was after 3 home visits from vet, checking out her and the other hens, giving her numerous injections of calcium plus what I'd been getting into her -- and she continued to drop those nasty "eggs." I finally captured her early one morning while she was still on the roost and carted her off to the vet. She spent nearly 4 days there -- they did blood work and xrays, etc. Her calcium level was extremely low and vet figured that was affecting her bones and organs, she was very weak. He discovered some abnormalities in her uterus which may have been a bit of absorbed egg at some point, tho he didn't think it would affect her too much. He really thought it was necessary she just stop laying for 6 weeks or so, gave her another Lupron shot, more calcium injections, also some Metacam, and other stuff. She finally started eating a bit and pecking around after a couple of days. When I went to pick her up I noticed she had pieces of chicken in her cage. One of the vets had given her some of her lunch and they suggested I give her little bits of turkey or chicken. It took her a couple of days to really start eating again once I got her home.

She's continued to get better since I brought her home -- she gets a higher daily dose of the calcium glubionate (3 cc) and is finishing up the Metacam. I give it all to her on bits of roast turkey or chicken and have no problem getting the stuff into her. She hadn't been interested in bread anymore which was such a great way to "dose" her, so glad I discovered the chicken/turkey. OF COURSE, the other girls want chicken/turkey too -- so I throw it into their daily veggie pan of stuff (veggies and cheese or yogurt, tomatoes, kale/mustard greens which they all love, etc)

No more shell-less eggs so far but it's only been a couple of weeks this time. BUT the good thing is that Lucy has finally started to molt! I'm real pleased to see that happening -- her first molt and she'll be two in a couple of weeks!

It was darned expensive but I'm glad I got her to the vet when I did cuz she was really going downhill. She's looking a bit ratty but is much more like her old self -- really bossy again!

Good luck with your girl -- I hope she molts soon or that the big doses of calcium help her out! Let me know what happens!

Kerry

 

[tegg]

hello, in all these cases has anyone experianceed the hen drinking more? even at night?
as this has just started in my 1 year old hen. its started with her desperate desire to drink twice at night and then tonight. plop an egg without a shell, and then 5 mins later plop a yolk?? no membrain no shell.
she seemed odd just standing their in the dark do you think she was in pain? after she turned around dranks some more water and went to bed.
poor thing, i dont know what to do for her.

 

[Malpower]

Well, yeah, I think my Lucy was drinking a lot of water, more than usual -- she was mostly dropping her shell-less eggs from the roost at night so I would find them in the morning, but sounds similar. My hens drink a lot of water normally throughout the day and usually drink more before going in to roost. But when Lucy was at her worst with this calcium problem, the shell-less eggs and just not feeling well, she was drinking more water but not eating much.

 

[slg]

You aren't just talking to yourself! Just found this thread -- having similar problems with a NHRed. Super helpful info that you have shared -- thanks!

Chicken Noodle sounds very similar to your chicken -- great personality, ring leader, all-around great bird! She started laying in April and only when supplemented with extra protein and calcium will we get a good egg. And that isn't often! Her diet/free-ranging sounds pretty similar to your as well. Been to the vet also to check her out -- cocci and all else looked well. Vet was very into making sure she primarily ate layer pellets and that we stop giving so many treats.

Have been trying some other diet changes to see if that would impact the egg production and wanted to add one more piece of info -- in my research have also heard/read about the importance of vitamin A and D in egg production. So in addition to sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon of Osteo-Form (it's calcium, A and D) in some yogurt daily. I am also starting to supplement with more vitamin A rich veggies like baked sweet potatoes (a favorite) , shredded carrots (don't like them) as well as more yogurt, cheese, raw spinach for the vitamin D. Only been on this for about a week but have gotten one good egg and no more shell-less ones.

And would be interested if you could send me offline the name of the vet you are using -- we are in Berkeley. Have used a vet in the city but house visits probably much easier than getting Noodle in to the car and across the bridge!

 

[500592]

the hens need more calcium because if you dont there bones will weaken and they may die

 

[Malpower]

Hi SLG!

Yeah, it sounds like Chicken Noodle and Lucy-fer have much in common! Both red-headed terrorists! Lucy can be a real stinker at times but her 3 "sisters" wouldn't know what to do without her!

I'm absolutely no authority on the shell-less eggs and calcium problem but am happy if some of this discussion has been helpful. I am becoming more of an authority on Lucy's particular problem tho, which may well be just specific to her, but mostly is due to low LOW calcium...and I guess she could have died quite easily....all the calcium-rich foods and even the liquid calcium I was giving her just wasn't enough on its own.

Anyway, I don't know about the Vit A -- I seem to remember somewhere earlier on I was told on this forum not to give Vit A and I know my vet said he hoped I hadn't been giving vitamin supplements to the chickens. But getting all these vitamins through food should be a good thing -- mine sure get tons of greens (I'm lucky to get a weekly freebie box of springs greens and spinach from a local grocer), yogurt, cheese and stuff. They don't like carrots but vet had given Lucy some steamed carrots and I've thought of trying that.

I don't give a hoot if Lucy or any of the girls lay eggs or not, just want them to be healthy; love the eggs if all else is well. I was so worried about Lucy that I asked the vet about giving her a hysterectomy. He said it's certainly an option in future if she continues to have the same problems, but that it's much harder, more complicated to do a hysterectomy on a chicken than it is on a mammal. Since she's not yet two, I'd hope she had some good, happy hen years left in her -- with or without laying!

I'll PM you now about the vet over here...

Kerry