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

 

[Bawkbok]

If you are concerned about parasites, deworming can't hurt. We use Valbazen liquid, purchased at TSC. You can find very helpful information, including dosing in the following link:
Post in thread 'Valbazen Dosage?'

You'll need to weigh your girls. If you have a scale, take your weight without holding the bird, then take it again, wearing the same clothing and weigh your bird and subtract the difference.
Some people have luck weighing their chickens on a kitchen scale. I have tried this and it doesn't work so well for me as they are too squirmy and I want a more accurate weight. Plus I'm holding them as they won't stand still on the scale so that interferes with the result.

@thecatumbrella has given good advice on the Calcium. Typically it's recommended Calcium Citrate with D3. It absorbs quickly and can help especially during contractions. The recommended dosage is 300-600 mg, one tablet a day for 5-7 days. If you have a helper to hold her it would be easier to dose but if not, wrap a towel around the chicken's wings to help calm her and makes it easier to control her. Hold her under one arm like a football and then with the same arm holding her open her beak and with the other hand pop in the tablet. It is a large pill but they can swallow it no problem. They may spit it out, just try again. Ensure her head is level, do not lift it up skyward when placing the vitamin pill in. We have one chicken that spits it out and it takes 3-4 do-overs for me before she finally gives up and swallows it. Hopefully the calcium will be all your girl needs for a boost to get past the soft shelled eggs. I have never used the calcium powder and would hold off putting that in the food. Definitely do not use the powder AND the calcium tablets -- too much.

Cold weather does not impact egg laying, it is the hours of daylight that determines the lay schedule. Some breeds do lay during the winter months once molting is complete. Other breeds take the winter off until days grow longer again.
Soft shelled eggs are no uncommon for new layers or they may have an occasional hiccup and lay a soft shell but then return to normal shelled eggs.

There are many threads here on egg quality and there's a great article in the Articles tab (3rd brown tab in the top banner), check under the Learning Center. There is information on egg quality. I'll look for items I've bookmarked and when I find them I'll post it here.

Happy to hear it's happening less frequently. That's a positive update.

 

[Hannah2911]

If you are concerned about parasites, deworming can't hurt. We use Valbazen liquid, purchased at TSC. You can find very helpful information, including dosing in the following link:
Post in thread 'Valbazen Dosage?'

You'll need to weigh your girls. If you have a scale, take your weight without holding the bird, then take it again, wearing the same clothing and weigh your bird and subtract the difference.
Some people have luck weighing their chickens on a kitchen scale. I have tried this and it doesn't work so well for me as they are too squirmy and I want a more accurate weight. Plus I'm holding them as they won't stand still on the scale so that interferes with the result.

@thecatumbrella has given good advice on the Calcium. Typically it's recommended Calcium Citrate with D3. It absorbs quickly and can help especially during contractions. The recommended dosage is 300-600 mg, one tablet a day for 5-7 days. If you have a helper to hold her it would be easier to dose but if not, wrap a towel around the chicken's wings to help calm her and makes it easier to control her. Hold her under one arm like a football and then with the same arm holding her open her beak and with the other hand pop in the tablet. It is a large pill but they can swallow it no problem. They may spit it out, just try again. Ensure her head is level, do not lift it up skyward when placing the vitamin pill in. We have one chicken that spits it out and it takes 3-4 do-overs for me before she finally gives up and swallows it. Hopefully the calcium will be all your girl needs for a boost to get past the soft shelled eggs. I have never used the calcium powder and would hold off putting that in the food. Definitely do not use the powder AND the calcium tablets -- too much.

Cold weather does not impact egg laying, it is the hours of daylight that determines the lay schedule. Some breeds do lay during the winter months once molting is complete. Other breeds take the winter off until days grow longer again.
Soft shelled eggs are no uncommon for new layers or they may have an occasional hiccup and lay a soft shell but then return to normal shelled eggs.

There are many threads here on egg quality and there's a great article in the Articles tab (3rd brown tab in the top banner), check under the Learning Center. There is information on egg quality. I'll look for items I've bookmarked and when I find them I'll post it here.

Happy to hear it's happening less frequently. That's a positive update.

Thank you for all that info !!