hen lays soft shell eggs and will only lay hard with human calcium supplement

[shannon84]

Is a human calcium supplement safe for everyday use? I've only done this twice because I'm too scared it will hurt her. She has laying feed and oyster shell's at all times.....any suggestions? Thanks! Ps. The reason I did the human calcium supplement because I read somewhere you'll get an hard shell egg the next day, and it does work...

 

[0wen]

It sounds more like a problem absorbing calcium to me rather than not getting enough calcium. I would try to get her some vitamin D & B. Tractor Supply sells "Rooster Booster" pellets that you can top off their food with. I'd try that before I started playing around with dosages intended for humans...

 

[shannon84]

Yeah I wasn't too wild about the idea of giving her a human supplement, I seen it mentioned on here a few times, so I tried it a couple of times and literally the next day she laid a fully intact egg, it wasn't as strong as the other hens egg though. So is this a common problem seen in older hens or does some chickens have this issue? I'll pick up some of those rooster booster pellets. I just got to figure out a way to keep it from my rooster. I had no idea laying feed and such was hard on a roosters kidneys, so that's going to be a tough lol ugh! Thanks owen!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Check TSC for Calcium Gluconate 23%... it's injectable or oral and can help for one not getting enough calcium... Kathy (casportpony) has the dosage listed on a thread here, if you put calcium gluconate casportpony in the search bar it should bring it up... hope this helps!

 

[aart]

It sounds more like a problem absorbing calcium to me rather than not getting enough calcium. I would try to get her some vitamin D & B. Tractor Supply sells "Rooster Booster" pellets that you can top off their food with. I'd try that before I started playing around with dosages intended for humans...

Agrees....but I'd fully assess their regular feed(s) before resorting to any supplements.
Many folks give too many 'treats', or other foods, and dilute the essential vitamins/minerals in formulated feeds that are needed for nutrient absorption.

.... So is this a common problem seen in older hens or does some chickens have this issue? .....

I believe that some birds just do not process nutrients effectively or they have anatomical malformation...
....it can happen at any age but older birds may have more problems.
If all your birds but one are laying quality eggs with the current diet, than it's just that bird that is 'not quite right'.

 

[shannon84]

Check TSC for Calcium Gluconate 23%... it's injectable or oral and can help for one not getting enough calcium... Kathy (casportpony) has the dosage listed on a thread here, if you put calcium gluconate casportpony in the search bar it should bring it up... hope this helps!

Okay thanks Kathy!!