Help I have a butt pecker

[thecatumbrella]

She has never laid back to back soft shell eggs. The last two days she laid two soft shell eggs in a row.

I'm sure @Bawkbok will get back to you when she's on, but in the meantime I can stick my uninvited nose in this!

From the videos, it looks like you guys hang out in the chicken run. Have you observed her eating oyster shell? One of my younger layers wasn't very good about it and laid soft shell eggs. In fact, she became egg bound over it. I gave her a calcium citrate tablet once a day until she laid normally, which was about 2-3 days. Fixed her right up. Parasites and worms after definitely something to consider (have you check them over for mites?), but I'd test the calcium to see if it helps. FYI, it's not a long term solution. Excess calcium will be hard on the kidneys, but it's possible she only needs a little boost to help top her off here and there.

 

[Hannah2911]

I'm sure @Bawkbok will get back to you when she's on, but in the meantime I can stick my uninvited nose in this!

From the videos, it looks like you guys hang out in the chicken run. Have you observed her eating oyster shell? One of my younger layers wasn't very good about it and laid soft shell eggs. In fact, she became egg bound over it. I gave her a calcium citrate tablet once a day until she laid normally, which was about 2-3 days. Fixed her right up. Parasites and worms after definitely something to consider (have you check them over for mites?), but I'd test the calcium to see if it helps. FYI, it's not a long term solution. Excess calcium will be hard on the kidneys, but it's possible she only needs a little boost to help top her off here and there.

I occasionally add calcium flour in their food to ensure they are getting enough. I don’t really think it’s low calcium. She may have a birth defect bc it’s been since she first laid. No others have issue laying. Except the one that isn’t right now but that could be seasonal. I am looking into doing that safeguard chickens de wormer just to be safe but I’m so confused on the dosage. I have five hens only and one is super small. I just weighed them all and I’m just under 22 lbs for all of them. One is 5 lb 1.2 oz …2 are 4 lb 9 oz. One is 3 lb 1.5 oz. One is 4 lb 1.5 oz. I got that calcium flour stuff on Amazon. I don’t do it often just sometimes. I do see them peck the flakes of oyster more than when I had the rocks looking one. But I haven’t noticed specifically iris(who is the soft shelled) eating but I can watch. I have cameras I can play back too. I’m extra and new to chickens. I have nothing against those that care for chickens as livestock I totally get that. For me I got them to be pets so I’m an anal chicken mom now lol. As for mites and lice I have looked and looked several times in the last month since the tail feathers were getting pecked and never seen anything. I lift their wings and I check the vent and under the feathers on the back of neck and haven’t seen eggs on the bottoms of feathers or bugs crawling. And you are not noesy lol. I greatly appreciate you and everyone who answers me when I need help as I learn.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I occasionally add calcium flour in their food to ensure they are getting enough. I don’t really think it’s low calcium. She may have a birth defect bc it’s been since she first laid. No others have issue laying. Except the one that isn’t right now but that could be seasonal. I am looking into doing that safeguard chickens de wormer just to be safe but I’m so confused on the dosage. I have five hens only and one is super small. I just weighed them all and I’m just under 22 lbs for all of them. One is 5 lb 1.2 oz …2 are 4 lb 9 oz. One is 3 lb 1.5 oz. One is 4 lb 1.5 oz. I got that calcium flour stuff on Amazon. I don’t do it often just sometimes. I do see them peck the flakes of oyster more than when I had the rocks looking one. But I haven’t noticed specifically iris(who is the soft shelled) eating but I can watch. I have cameras I can play back too. I’m extra and new to chickens. I have nothing against those that care for chickens as livestock I totally get that. For me I got them to be pets so I’m an anal chicken mom now lol. As for mites and lice I have looked and looked several times in the last month since the tail feathers were getting pecked and never seen anything. I lift their wings and I check the vent and under the feathers on the back of neck and haven’t seen eggs on the bottoms of feathers or bugs crawling. And you are not noesy lol. I greatly appreciate you and everyone who answers me when I need help as I learn.

Oh I get it! My chickens have always been pets as well. It's hard for them not to be when they get so attached to you.

I'm really not familiar with calcium powder. You might want to run that by people in the Feeding & Watering forum. If the flock's getting oyster shell, calcium in the feed, AND this powder, you might be tilting calcium levels too far in the other direction. The calcium citrate tablets are high dose, fast acting, and have vitamin D for absorption. They're definitely something to have in your first aid kit.

As for the Safeguard, can you link (or post a photo) of the specific product you have? I know they made a chicken version, but people have also used the goat version. I'm not sure if the dosage is consistent between the two. Here's a thread that could be helpful to read through.

 

[Hannah2911]

Oh I get it! My chickens have always been pets as well. It's hard for them not to be when they get so attached to you.

I'm really not familiar with calcium powder. You might want to run that by people in the Feeding & Watering forum. If the flock's getting oyster shell, calcium in the feed, AND this powder, you might be tilting calcium levels too far in the other direction. The calcium citrate tablets are high dose, fast acting, and have vitamin D for absorption. They're definitely something to have in your first aid kit.

As for the Safeguard, can you link (or post a photo) of the specific product you have? I know they made a chicken version, but people have also used the goat version. I'm not sure if the dosage is consistent between the two. Here's a thread that could be helpful to read through.

This is what I was looking at. It says if the flock is 22lbs. (Mine is almost 22) but says treats 3 chickens assuming they are 7 lbs and mine are 5/4/3 lbs