Hen laying soft shelled eggs constantly!!!

[easteregges]

I have a Hen that is constantly laying soft-shelled eggs at night! I have a total of nine hens and she is the only one that has this problem. All the other hens have nice and healthy eggs. They have a 20% protein feed that i add ground-up oyster shell to. They also have a trough with regular oyster shells that is always available, and I also add broken-up eggshell to it too. What can I do???

 

[CloneFly]

I have a Hen that is constantly laying soft-shelled eggs at night! I have a total of nine hens and she is the only one that has this problem. All the other hens have nice and healthy eggs. They have a 20% protein feed that i add ground-up oyster shell to. They also have a trough with regular oyster shells that is always available, and I also add broken-up eggshell to it too. What can I do???

You need to manually give her a calcium supplement. @Eggcessive

Some hens just won't eat their oyster shells no matter what

 

[Eggcessive]

If you know which one it is, try giving her a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D 3 tablet orally daily for the next 7 days. Tums or other calcium would work until you get the generic tablet. She might have a problem with her shell gland, but this will rule out an calcium deficiency.Are you using an all flock feed, not a layer feed? Layer has 4 times the amount of calcium in it than all flock. It is better to put crushed oyster shell in a separate container than feed. That way each hen takes it is she needs it.

 

[easteregges]

If you know which one it is, try giving her a human calcium citrate tablet with vitamin D 3 tablet orally daily for the next 7 days. Tums or other calcium would work until you get the generic tablet. She might have a problem with her shell gland, but this will rule out an calcium deficiency.Are you using an all flock feed, not a layer feed? Layer has 4 times the amount of calcium in it than all flock. It is better to put crushed oyster shell in a separate container than feed. That way each hen takes it is she needs it.

Thank you! Yes, i know which hen it is. They are on a layer feed.

 

[TooCheep]

I'll support the others as a first line solution. If it doesn't work, please ping me. I had a similar problem, but my girl reacted immediately to Vitamin E supplementation.

 

[easteregges]

I'll support the others as a first line solution. If it doesn't work, please ping me. I had a similar problem, but my girl reacted immediately to Vitamin E supplementation.

Thank you.

 

[easteregges]

I'll support the others as a first line solution. If it doesn't work, please ping me. I had a similar problem, but my girl reacted immediately to Vitamin E supplementation.

I'll support the others as a first line solution. If it doesn't work, please ping me. I had a similar problem, but my girl reacted immediately to Vitamin E supplementation.

Hello, what vitamin E supplement did you use?

 

[TooCheep]

Hello, what vitamin E supplement did you use?

Here is what I put in another thread on the subject:

I'll offer an alternative solution that might work and won't have long-term problems. I have a hen that has never laid good shells naturally. She started with soft-shelled eggs even though I've seen her eating oyster shell. I take a Vitamin E gelcap (400 IU) and mix the oil into my small flock's daily fermented feed ration. It took 2 days for her shells to become normal. I tried removing the Vitamin E after a while, but it took 2-3 days for her soft shells to come back.

My hen obviously has some issue around Vitamin E deficiency. The supplement when divided among my 7 chickens is within safe levels and I'm sure at least some of it ends up in the eggs as further nutrition for anyone consuming them.

I've never had to offer any special calcium/Vitamin D3 supplement beyond crushed egg shell and oyster shell.

About individual dosing:

Since mine are sharing a common feeder, I'm sure it varies. Also, I can't get 100% of the oil out of the gelcaps. I'd estimate that she gets 300-350 IU/7 birds = 43-50 IU/day/bird.

I just checked and you can get bottles of Vitamin E oil. They come in different concentrations, but the one I looked at comes to about 60 IU/drop. That should be an easy solution if you just want to dose a single bird.

 

[easteregges]

Here is what I put in another thread on the subject:

About individual dosing:

Thank you so much. I have been looking at various calcium supplements but I'm thinking I'm going to get some vitamin e oil, calcium Citrate and vitamin D 3 and try and see what will work.
Thank you for all your help.

 

[TooCheep]

Thank you so much. I have been looking at various calcium supplements but I'm thinking I'm going to get some vitamin e oil, calcium Citrate and vitamin D 3 and try and see what will work.
Thank you for all your help.

I wouldn't do both of them at once. It is best to go with the minimum solution possible. Select one and test it. If it works, you won't need the other.