Is softened water safe for my chickens

[TraceyO]

We have a flock of about 15 chickens and several have recently started laying soft (shell-less) eggs. These girls were laying hard eggs previously. I feed oyster calcium, although they are really not interested in eating it. We are on a private well but have a water softener. I am concerned that the softener has taken too much natural calcium from the water and is contributing to their problem. I had one hen get sick this morning and had to be euthanized due to Peritonitis. I don't want to lose any more birds. Any suggestions?

 

[BYCforlife]

I have a hydrant on my well so I can use unfiltered and unmodified water for my chickens. Just keep supplementing oyster shells, and maybe look into supplementing Vitamin D for absorption of the Calcium.

 

[paneubert]

We have a flock of about 15 chickens and several have recently started laying soft (shell-less) eggs. These girls were laying hard eggs previously. I feed oyster calcium, although they are really not interested in eating it. We are on a private well but have a water softener. I am concerned that the softener has taken too much natural calcium from the water and is contributing to their problem. I had one hen get sick this morning and had to be euthanized due to Peritonitis. I don't want to lose any more birds. Any suggestions?

"Normal" tap water that city folk get from the large/city/county water systems do not have significant calcium, so your softened water is not the issue.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2488164/

“How Much Calcium Is in Your Drinking Water? A Survey of Calcium Concentrations in Bottled and Tap Water and Their Significance for Medical Treatment and Drug Administration”

Couple choice quotes from that study.

We surveyed the calcium concentration in tap water in the USA to determine their contribution to the recommended calcium requirements. We found substantial variability in tap water calcium concentrations. Table 1 presents select large American and Canadian cities classified by region. In the USA, tap water calcium concentrations varied from 8.3 mg/L in Montgomery, AL, to 131 mg/L in Phoenix, AZ. The average calcium concentration was 50.6 ± 29.4 mg/L, and the percentage of RDI of calcium satisfied by six 8-oz glasses per day varied from 0.85 to 13.5%, with an average of 5.2%. There was no statistically significant difference between regions.

Canadian cities were equally diverse: the tap water calcium concentrations varied from 1.4 mg/L in Vancouver to 135.5 mg/L in Kitchener. The corresponding RDI percentages varied from 0.15 to 13.9%. The average for Canada was 48.8 ± 53.2 mg/L. The average percentage of the daily requirement satisfied was 5.0%.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

I would imagine your soft water is fine, but you could always look for a spigot on you well that is before your water softener. I have 2 of those, one by the pressure tank, and one garden hose. Worth a try I suppose and its free.

I have had one flock that refused to eat Oyster Shell, and it was probably my fault for waiting until well after they were laying to introduce it. In my defense, it was my first flock of chickens and I was unaware they were laying yet as they had a secret spot where they all decided to lay there eggs.

Since your chickens natural calcium deposits are now depleted, I would switch to Layer ration asap, AND continue to push the Oyster Shell. Once their systems are back to normal and they are laying hard shelled, normal looking eggs, then you can switch back to all flock or whatever.

Keep an eye on them though, that first flock never did figure out what the oyster shell was for. For that flock I never was able to feed them anything other than layer. Oh and be sure to clean of the soft eggs asap. You don't want your chickens figuring out what tasty things eggs are. That flock was very bad about eating their eggs before you could get out to pick them up.