Has anyone been able to fix thin shell problems?

[Mrs. K]

Really, I agree with your question. I really don't think diet has a lot to do with it. When I have chicks in the flock, I feed chick feed. If most are laying I feed layer feed. I have the oyster shell, but I have had it for years, they never touch it much.

Mostly I have found it goes away if you treat it about as fast as it goes away if you don't treat it. I think very young birds or very old birds, or birds just starting to lay after molt can have a malfunction that generally just goes away.

So - no, I don't think any of those ideas really help. Don't think they will hurt either.

Mrs K

 

[Jovian7]

Really, I agree with your question. I really don't think diet has a lot to do with it. When I have chicks in the flock, I feed chick feed. If most are laying I feed layer feed. I have the oyster shell, but I have had it for years, they never touch it much.

Mostly I have found it goes away if you treat it about as fast as it goes away if you don't treat it. I think very young birds or very old birds, or birds just starting to lay after molt can have a malfunction that generally just goes away.

So - no, I don't think any of those ideas really help. Don't think they will hurt either.

Mrs K

Since nothing so far is an actual fix, I am hoping it fixes itself. I actually wish they would molt and stop laying. Maybe all would be good when they start laying again.

 

[McChooky]

Did yours molt last fall or winter?

Since nothing so far is an actual fix, I am hoping it fixes itself. I actually wish they would molt and stop laying. Maybe all would be good when they start laying again.

 

[RoyalChick]

I think with my lady it is genetics not diet. She had a good long break from egg laying over the winter and her first egg was paper thin. She gets egg shells, layer feed, and oyster shell and for a while I was also giving her a calcium citrate pill or two on most days. I have stopped that now as it seems to make no difference and it is hard to believe she is calcium deficient after not laying for 3 months and getting all that dietary calcium.

 

[Jovian7]

Did yours molt last fall or winter?

 

[Jovian7]

They molted last fall.

 

[Jovian7]

Have you tried layer feed? I buy it when I am having soft shell problems even though I have oyster shell out. I will just switch it out or mix it into their higher protein stuff for a couple weeks and it usually helps

yes, you can read everything I’ve tried in my post.

 

[McChooky]

yes, you can read everything I’ve tried in my post.

Chickens need both Phosphorus(grain) and Vitamin D3( sun) to absorb calcium. Sun plays a vital role in calcium absorption. I was using a white tarp over my run and didn't realize the significance of UV light .I keep half the run open except for rainy days now. If they're in the coop a lot and their runs in the shade (or covered ) you might be able to make some changes or supplement D3 in their diet .

 

[McChooky]

yes, you can read everything I’ve tried in my post.

Vitamin D enables chickens to absorb calcium from their food so that they can make hard-shelled eggs. Without adequate UV light exposure, chickens often lay soft or shell-less eggs or have eggs get stuck inside of them when they try to lay—a life-threatening condition called egg-binding. This happens because their uterine muscles run out of the calcium needed to push the eggs out. Consequently, chickens living indoors in cold climates must have UV light bulbs built into their coops so that they don’t lay abnormal eggs or become egg-bound.https://www.petmd.com/bird/care/what-you-should-know-getting-backyard-chickens

 

[catballou]

I think that may be an issue with these hens also. Even though I feed back their egg shells to them and there is calcium in their layer feed, and this hasn’t been a problem with them in the 1 1/2 year they have been laying until recently.

It’s very distressing.

My hens are getting thinner shells too. They're only 15 months old, but started this about 3 months ago. I changed feed this week from kalmbach to a pellet feed from a feed store a ways away.