Egg Laying Troubles in 3yr-old Hen.

[The Angry Hen]

I have a New Hampshire hen named Tink, the one I had raised in the house. She's been acting differently. Always been a tough hen with slight stress, but not enough to stop her in the Summer from laying. I've always known NH's to be more of a worrisome and stressful breed... but she's acting differently.

It started about 1-2 weeks ago when she began laying soft-shelled eggs. After a few being processed, she stopped laying eggs (only a 3-year-old hen). Then she laid a soft-shelled egg, again. And now she's back to no eggs. It has been a pattern. When she laid one of the soft-shelled eggs, she walked sorta strange, her tail feathers crooked. Tonight she laid a yoke with whites, no shell. I'm really worried that her ovary system is dysfunctioning or the shell's still inside her. I've given her plenty calcium, more than normal, I tried some ACV in the water, kinda helpful, but still not laying. She's my baby and I want her back to the normal 'Tink' I know and the flock knows. Does anybody have any remedies, tricks, conclusions or answers? It's something I need to know quick and how bad of a situation it is. I need something.

 

[azygous]

What type of calcium are you give her and how much?

For many egg quality issues, I've found calcium citrate 400mg with minerals and D3 can work wonders. I give a full 400mg tablet to start, then half a tab, twice a day for a few days, then half a tab once a day after that. I do it until the eggs are coming out normal.

Another thing it could be is molt. Sometimes egg quality gets pretty bad right before onset of molt, and chickens are now beginning their fall molt.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Thank you for your helpful reply, @azygous. I'm giving her the "Coastal Brand Poultry Shell" oyster shells. I have a 50 PD bag I dumped into a clean tote and feed them (about) three tsp of it at a time, spread around the regular feed and basically scratched in. The only time I give them this much is egg situations or over the winter, so I keep it in stock for emergencies.
As for the 400mg and D3 tablets, I have not heard of that! I'll most certainly look into it and appreciate your advice.

I've thought about a molt and it's a very possible scenario, she often has a bareback from stress, but it hasn't affected her before and if anything she's been getting better. I've certainly seen worse molts... but the effects do sound like her's. :/

 

[azygous]

Oyster shell is fine to maintain calcium levels in a hen that is absorbing calcium, as evidenced in hard egg shells. However, it's not easily absorbed as calcium citrate as I described above. This is a theraputic calcium at a much higher dose with vitamin D 3 and minerals to further aid in quick absorption.

This calcium is found in the vitamin aisle at the store. I take it myself. The chickens have their bottle and I have mine. At the first sign of a soft shell egg, I give the calcium. Many times it works practically overnight to restore egg shell quality. I dip it in peanut butter and the hen thinks it's a special treat. I also smash the tablet and sprinkle it over grated carrot.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Thank you very much! We will try that right away and I cannot say how much I appreciate your advice. Tink seems to be doing a bit better today, she hopped over a small (4 in) wall they use to get out of the cage. Still a bit slow, but she's preening, drinking and eating which I'm happy about.

Do you happen to know if a Calcium carbonate and Calcium gluconate are as good as the citrate and would you give any magnesium or is that something to stay away from? That's what I have handy at the moment so I just wanted to check and see.

 

[azygous]

Use what you have on hand. Oyster shell is calcium carbonate so the gluconate would be better. The magnesium is helpful. If you don't have vitamin D, expose you hen to daily doses of direct sunlight, as in a sunny dirt bath. They absorb vitamin D through their feathers and that will help tremendously in the calcium absorption rate.

 

[The Angry Hen]

So, I've done what you suggested and I've used what I have. The particular vitamin I have given to her was powered with fresh thyme sprinkled over it to boost her energy and immune system. She took the intake with some crumble and tonight she's acting healthy. Still not laying and still a bit quiet, but doing quite well. If she's fine tomorrow I will do the same once more.
I do have D3 soft gel vitamins, I can try popping one's substance into her water or some food. Tomorrow I plan to let her outside, seeing how she acts.