globular calcium deposits on eggshell

[MissChick@dee]

Wow, I'm glad I posted this photo! I will take a close look at Tiny tonight. These globules do feel calcified, but I guess they could still be dried-out lice eggs as someone wrote above. We treated the entire flock with pour-on ivermectin just 2-3 weeks ago... could they have gotten re-infested so quickly?

Did you do a follow up dose?

 

[MissChick@dee]

wow - they are cool looking though....

Yeah...in a skin crawling kinda way

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Everything I know about treatment of lice/mites is a second treatment is needed after 7 days to catch hatchlings. The coop would need treated too as many icky bugs don't live on the bird but come out at night to feed.

Thank you ... I’m making notes ...

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

OK, so I just treated the entire flock with pour-on ivermectin again. Will make a note to treat again a week from today. Also checked Tiny's butt area for lice/lice eggs (she wouldn't let me look under her wings) and may have possibly found some. It was hard to tell if what I saw was clusters of lice eggs or dried-on urates from her poop. I decided to treat her and everyone else anyway, just in case.

Another poster above suggested treating the coop too. Anyone know how I would use pour-on ivermectin to do that?

 

[aart]

Oh!!!..... too bad you already treated!
Not sure how you feel about eating eggs from a chemically treated bird.
Those are not insect eggs, they are calcium deposits.
Probably just an after molt, resumption of lay 'start up' glitch.

Always good to google for images before you inspect birds for pests.

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

Thanks for the link! I did look at images of lice eggs, both on chicken eggs and on feather shafts, and then examined the egg and the chicken that laid it, before deciding to treat. It was really hard to tell what I was seeing.

One thing I can say is that our chickens all seem to be scratching and cleaning their feathers A LOT in recent months, using both their beaks and their feet, which causes me to suspect some sort of infestation with mites or lice. And, one or possibly two of our chickens have skin and feather issues that others on this forum believe may be due specifically to depluming mites (missing feathers that won't grow back, broken & jagged feather shafts, feathers that look ragged). So, it was probably time to treat for lice/mites anyway.

Based on what I've learned on this forum and elsewhere, I feel OK with eating eggs from ivermectin-treated chickens. Looks like most people don't even do an egg withdrawal period with ivermectin.

 

[Mosey2003]

You would use a liquid permethrin product to treat the coop. Usually can be found as a concentrate with the livestock supplies.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

That looks like normal calcium deposits to me! I see those sometimes after I give my chickens crushed eggshells or extra oyster shell when their shells are getting thin. For a day or two after I get these thinner shells with those granular bumps on them before the shells thicken up. It looks normal to me for a hen with a little extra calcium in her diet.

What bug would lay a ton of hard-as-a-rock eggs all over an eggshell like that? Even if some got stuck from her vent, it wouldn't be like that, ya know?

 

[MissChick@dee]

*images of lice eggs on chicken eggs* google

 

[MissChick@dee]

Okay so today Judy laid this. She lays these type of shells just before she takes a day off from laying. It’s been part of her cycle for years. Just thought I’d share. Best wishes