Egg issues

[Miss Lydia]

When my Runner laid a soft shell it was up in the afternoon too. But she was acting off all the morning when I went to check on her she had just laid the egg. Of course it makes you worry. I started her on calcium citrate. I gave it too her for about a week. As far as I know she hasn’t ever laid another. They are on half acre so any of them could lay a soft shell and I’d never see it. Runners are such heavy layers and so tiny any way I can see how they would get depleted of calcium reserves.

 

[austroberta]

I do have calcium citrate tablets. If I pulverize them and stick them in her mouth (what I did with Sage, when she was first laying eggs and had soft shelled egg issues) would that work? How much should I give her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you crush them and put them over something tasty like chopped tomatoes or water melon. I am hesitant to tell you to just stick them in her mouth in case of going down the wrong hole. Mine are capsules and they are out in the Runner coop so I can’t tell you exact dose but it’s 2 capsules I open and use. I believe it might be around 500 Mg.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe @DuckyDonna has the dose she’s used the calcium citrate also with her Runner.

 

[austroberta]

Can you crush them and put them over something tasty like chopped tomatoes or water melon. I am hesitant to tell you to just stick them in her mouth in case of going down the wrong hole. Mine are capsules and they are out in the Runner coop so I can’t tell you exact dose but it’s 2 capsules I open and use. I believe it might be around 500 Mg.

She's a smart one. I've tried that trick before and she just doesn't eat the treat. I used worms, which she loves, and she turned her bill up at them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Last time I gave calcium citrate I just poked it down her throat now that I learned how to give a pill, I have one like that too.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Maybe @DuckyDonna has the dose she’s used the calcium citrate also with her Runner.

The pills I have are from Walmart and are 600mg. I take a hammer and smash them to a powder (broke my coffee grinder on them) and sprinkle them on top of tomatoes or watermelon without diluting with water. I haven't tried sticking a pill down their throat. These pills are really big! I do it everyday until the shells are hard again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have capsule much easier.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I have capsule much easier.

I bet but my walmart didn't have them!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I ordered off the internet.