Hen Continuously Lays Thing Shelled Eggs — Tips on dealing with it?

[cluckingheck]

Not really sure if this fit in the emergency thread as it’s troubling, but not an emergency just yet. I have a 1yr old ISA Brown hen named Copper that started laying thin shelled eggs. She’s the only one in my flock having issues like this and she’s already had a scare with it ( egg busted inside of her, she wasn’t there for the bedtime headcount & I found her up on the tractor in bad shape ). I know high production hens are known for this kind of stuff, but I was wondering if there was anything I could do to thicken her shells back up?

Everyone is currently eating chick starter, but they all used to eat all flock/flock raiser feed and have oyster shells free choice ( oyster shells are still offered ). She didn’t have any issue with this until around a month or so ago.

 

[DobieLover]

Not really sure if this fit in the emergency thread as it’s troubling, but not an emergency just yet. I have a 1yr old ISA Brown hen named Copper that started laying thin shelled eggs. She’s the only one in my flock having issues like this and she’s already had a scare with it ( egg busted inside of her, she wasn’t there for the bedtime headcount & I found her up on the tractor in bad shape ). I know high production hens are known for this kind of stuff, but I was wondering if there was anything I could do to thicken her shells back up?

Everyone is currently eating chick starter, but they all used to eat all flock/flock raiser feed and have oyster shells free choice ( oyster shells are still offered ). She didn’t have any issue with this until around a month or so ago.

Feed her a calcium tablet every day for a week and see if that helps.
If it does, feed her a half of a calcium tablet every morning while she is actively laying. If the shells thin out again, bump her back up to 1 tablet.

 

[Mellowmalt]

free choice of oyster shell sounds good. Maybe try the suggestion above although I know I wouldn't be trapsing out first thing in the morning just to catch one bird and force a tablet down her
I'd rather live with it than do that lol.

 

[cluckingheck]

free choice of oyster shell sounds good. Maybe try the suggestion above although I know I wouldn't be trapsing out first thing in the morning just to catch one bird and force a tablet down her
I'd rather live with it than do that lol.

They’ve always had free choice oyster shell available to them. Honestly, though, I rather deal with the issue instead of just living with it. She was able to pass the busted egg albumen and yolk, but not the thin shell, so I had to glove up and stick my fingers up her vent.

Feeding her a calcium tablet sounds way better.

 

[cluckingheck]

Feed her a calcium tablet every day for a week and see if that helps.
If it does, feed her a half of a calcium tablet every morning while she is actively laying. If the shells thin out again, bump her back up to 1 tablet.

Calcium tablets pretty much just like these?

Do you recommend a certain mg tablet?

 

[DobieLover]

Calcium tablets pretty much just like these?View attachment 2690732
Do you recommend a certain mg tablet?

I'd use the 600 mg.
I'd you can find calcium citrate, I'd use that over calcium carbonate but CaCO3 will work.

 

[cluckingheck]

I'd use the 600 mg.
I'd you can find calcium citrate, I'd use that over calcium carbonate but CaCO3 will work.

Okay, is there any specific way to administer it? Could I crush it up in some food and feed it to her or give the tablet to her orally?

 

[DobieLover]

Okay, is there any specific way to administer it? Could I crush it up in some food and feed it to her or give the tablet to her orally?

It depends on the hen. I've had hens just eat it right out of my hand.
I've crushed it and mixed it with a small amount of yogurt and feed it that way.
I've also had to restrain hens, pull down on the wattles and pop the tablet in the beak. They'll swallow it.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have a hen similar to yours, but a leghornEE mix instead. Honestly it sucks losing the eggs, but I just leave it be and count the few hard ones I get as blessings

 

[cluckingheck]

I have a hen similar to yours, but a leghornEE mix instead. Honestly it sucks losing the eggs, but I just leave it be and count the few hard ones I get as blessings

I don’t want to leave it if they’re going to keep busting inside of her due to the thin shell