how can I improve calcium uptake?

[OrpingtonManor]

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they are in natural sunlight all day. the pen is accessible to them 24/7.

That was the question I had about spinach. I'm wondering if our native plant, miner's lettuce, has the same oxalic acid. I know it's high in vitamin C. I'll have to research that one. They eat it constantly.

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Sal, I guess I'll have to break down and get ACV when I get to the health food store next. hmm, that might be today. need anything?

 

[Dar]

I am wondering about a more digestible form of calcium...

what about worms?..silk worms to be exact.. If i remember correctly they have a lot of calcium... or dusting some greens or the yogurt

there may not be a problem with the amount of calcium they are getting but they may not be able to digest and use it effectively

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Back in my younger years, I used to be into reptiles (eeew, gross!) and when I had lizards, I used to get this powdered calcium supplement and shake their crickets/mealworms in a bag with the stuff, or sprinkle it over some veggies.

Maybe that would be cool?

Best of luck!

edit: the stuff is available at Petco and places like that.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

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that's what I've been thinking. two of them lay perfectly solid eggs. one has shells as thin as parchment, if she has shells at all. It didn't used to be like this. She used to lay nice eggs with thick shells. What changed?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

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you and Dar both had the same thought. I used to do that to the crickets for my son's leopard gecko. I could do that. Time to start a vermiculture, I guess. What do you think about pinky mice for chickens? It was a good idea for reptiles.

eta - now, all lizards in my life are in the yard, and quickly snapped up by the chooks!

 

[Dar]

i was going to suggest pinkies but i did not want to face the wrath of mice lovers...LOL

 

[OrpingtonManor]

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I have learned to deal with the chooks' love of live food. Because the girls are essentially my captives, I have to be willing to be a bit of a carnivore on the hunt on their behalf sometimes

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I had a problem for a little while with some hens that would selectively pick though crumbles and not
get all the calcium they needed and layed a lot of soft shells. (Out feed store ran out of pellets for about a month).
It helped me out that my mom's friend owns a diner and she saved a lot eggshells for me that improved things
a lot.

Not saying this is your problem but, perhaps something you could observe.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

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I suspect she is taking in enough calcium but not utilizing it well. She is always at the oyster shell/ eggshell feeder. Something is off in her little body.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

so, um...y'know, if you need any eggs in the meantime, while you're sorting out this (hopefully ephemeral) issue...I can hook you up.