Lethargic with white spots on her cheek

[noelgeorgia]

Sounds like she's o.k.

I don't know why you would want to lock her out. If she's broody and you don't want her to sit, just keep running her out of the nest and put her on the roost at night. Separation from the flock may mean you have to re-integrate.

As for the Calcium just give her the Calcium citrate. You can cut it in half if you wish. I just pop the pill into the beak.

I don't see any spots in the photos - must have been some stuck on debris?



View attachment 3607724

Thank you for sending. Local walmart only carries the calcium carbonate with D3 so I'll have to go to the drug store to find the citrate. I had her out free ranging yesterday and kept the coop locked up after the other hens were done laying. As soon as I opened the coop, she ran for a nest and didn't care which one it was. She managed to break into one where I had a large brick and box in front of it and was laying on the brick! lol She would not stay on the roost with the other ladies so we put a perch in a dog tote inside the coop with the others.

I want the other hens to be able to lay this morning, so I plan to move broody to a large wire crate in a cool spot in the run until they finish and then let her free range the rest of the day with them (with the coop closed). They were not going in to lay and I kept finding them in the yard I think because the broody hen was yelling at them when they tried so I don't want them to forget where to go to lay.

I'm glad you said she could still stay out and free range because I was under the impression from others that she needed to be crated for 3 days to break her of the broodiness. If she's still broody after that, what can be done? She seems to have it bad.

 

[noelgeorgia]

A couple of the other hens have soft eggs as well so can I crush up shells in a coffee grounder and add to their morning mash? They're not really eating the oyster shells. The rooster eats the mash too so I don't know if he should have the shells. I can give them all the calcium citrate pill as well.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

A couple of the other hens have soft eggs as well so can I crush up shells in a coffee grounder and add to their morning mash? They're not really eating the oyster shells. The rooster eats the mash too so I don't know if he should have the shells. I can give them all the calcium citrate pill as well.

Calcium citrate is ideal- calcium carbonate if no other option until you get citrate. I personally would not give a gel capsule or open a gel capsule to give contents orally because of the risk of aspiration of the oily contents- that’s just me and there are other options for calcium as mentioned above.
Egg shell in mash will give a boost, but in general the shells are used up fairly quickly during digestion. Calcium citrate is a hardier tablet compared to calcium carbonate (like tums), therefore takes longer to breakdown bc it stays in the system longer. Oyster shell is very hard and dense. It is broken down and calcium is absorbed even slower than calcium citrate.

Regarding the rooster- adding shells to mask once or twice is not likely going to cause long term damage, but I don’t recommend doing it daily due to the risk of renal disease in him. That advice goes for chicks, non-laying pullets as well.
With that said, I add egg shells to my compost and have watched my flock eat them, but my rooster doesn’t- he shows the hens ‘his find’. He may eat some but not like the hens- they go at shells like fiends.
For the most part chickens instinctively know what to eat, and your roo will know if given the choice, but if it’s hidden in mash he can’t make the distinction. Hope this helps and I hope your girls get better!!

Btw- your pullet is beautiful! is she a black Silverrudd (aka Isbar)? Looks exactly like my 5 month old- Aurora.

 

[noelgeorgia]

Calcium citrate is ideal- calcium carbonate if no other option until you get citrate. I personally would not give a gel capsule or open a gel capsule to give contents orally because of the risk of aspiration of the oily contents- that’s just me and there are other options for calcium as mentioned above.
Egg shell in mash will give a boost, but in general the shells are used up fairly quickly during digestion. Calcium citrate is a hardier tablet compared to calcium carbonate (like tums), therefore takes longer to breakdown bc it stays in the system longer. Oyster shell is very hard and dense. It is broken down and calcium is absorbed even slower than calcium citrate.

Regarding the rooster- adding shells to mask once or twice is not likely going to cause long term damage, but I don’t recommend doing it daily due to the risk of renal disease in him. That advice goes for chicks, non-laying pullets as well.
With that said, I add egg shells to my compost and have watched my flock eat them, but my rooster doesn’t- he shows the hens ‘his find’. He may eat some but not like the hens- they go at shells like fiends.
For the most part chickens instinctively know what to eat, and your roo will know if given the choice, but if it’s hidden in mash he can’t make the distinction. Hope this helps and I hope your girls get better!!

Btw- your pullet is beautiful! is she a black Silverrudd (aka Isbar)? Looks exactly like my 5 month old- Aurora.

Hi! Thank you for all the advice. I appreciate it. I was told she is a sapphire gem but I really don't know. She lays gray eggs. She is my prettiest black hen (love her eyes) and has been pretty sweet even while super broody. I'm wondering if it's the Kalmach or maybe because we didn't have the oyster shell out for a few days. I have it everywhere how but I'm thinking they might like the flakes better because the crushed has rather large pieces.

I do have D3 1000 regular pills I could give the hens directly with the calcium pill. I think there are only a few that are having issues but maybe the calcium will help if I give for a few days. I agree about the roo and free choice is the better option. I just hope they eat it lol.

Thanks again!

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I was told she is a sapphire gem but I really don't know. She lays gray eggs.

Ahh- Grey eggs- that’s different .
I’m told mine is a Black Silverrudd and will lay green eggs- still waiting. Oddly enough she hasn’t laid yet but I’m finding soft shells near her spot so I plopped a calcium in her last evening. She’s very flighty so I don’t have many pics of her head, but solid black eyes, pea comb, slate legs, iridescent black feathers.

 

[noelgeorgia]

Ahh- Grey eggs- that’s different .
I’m told mine is a Black Silverrudd and will lay green eggs- still waiting. Oddly enough she hasn’t laid yet but I’m finding soft shells near her spot so I plopped a calcium in her last evening. She’s very flighty so I don’t have many pics of her head, but solid black eyes, pea comb, slate legs, iridescent black feathers.
View attachment 3607987

She's beautiful! They do look alike. I just tried to get a half calcium pill in her and she would not take it. She doesn't have a waddle to pull down on so I tried opening her beak but she is also stressed because I had her in a crate to try to break her broodiness. Just let her out and rinsed her underbelly with some cool water. We will see. I ordered some real oyster shell flakes so maybe they will help. I really don't know how to get them to take a pill lol.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I really don't know how to get them to take a pill lol.

It’s tricky. I try not to pull waddles because they seem delicate to me. Rather, I hold the chicken crossways on my lap with the body snug against my belly and their legs dangling down between my legs to hold them until they relax. I’m a lefty, so my right arm and hand is free and holding pill in my right hand. My left arm is over the back and left hand holding the head from under the chin. I use a couple of left hand fingers to separate the beak a bit (while still holding head), and use my right hand to open the beak even more then stuff in the pill in far enough that the bird can’t spit it out (more for oblong tablets). I will try to make a video today- if I can catch a hen. There are other ways to do it and you’ll figure out what works for you.

 

[noelgeorgia]

It’s tricky. I try not to pull waddles because they seem delicate to me. Rather, I hold the chicken crossways on my lap with the body snug against my belly and their legs dangling down between my legs to hold them until they relax. I’m a lefty, so my right arm and hand is free and holding pill in my right hand. My left arm is over the back and left hand holding the head from under the chin. I use a couple of left hand fingers to separate the beak a bit (while still holding head), and use my right hand to open the beak even more then stuff in the pill in far enough that the bird can’t spit it out (more for oblong tablets). I will try to make a video today- if I can catch a hen. There are other ways to do it and you’ll figure out what works for you.

Yeah, I am a bit squeamish about puling their waddles too. I like your method. I plan to give it a try this evening when it cools down. It feels like 100 out there. I don't know how they stand it but they free range so I guess they find cool spots and I constantly replenish their water and give them frozen fruit here and there. I guess their feathers keep them cool too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I got some calcium citrate but the only calcium with D3 was carbonate so I bought D3 2000 liquid gel capsules and 600mg calcium citrate.

As for the Calcium just give her the Calcium citrate. You can cut it in half if you wish. I just pop the pill into the beak.

If your egg shells are soft, then evaluate what you are feeding, including how many treats they are getting.

It's fine to give back the egg shells, I do. I usually collect a few days worth, pop them in the oven when I'm done baking and let them crisp up while the oven cools.

Wattles are not that tender, just pull down, open the beak and pop the pill into her beak. It's the quickest and most efficient way to get the calcium into her.

 

[noelgeorgia]

If your egg shells are soft, then evaluate what you are feeding, including how many treats they are getting.

It's fine to give back the egg shells, I do. I usually collect a few days worth, pop them in the oven when I'm done baking and let them crisp up while the oven cools.

Wattles are not that tender, just pull down, open the beak and pop the pill into her beak. It's the quickest and most efficient way to get the calcium into her.

OK will do! Treats affect their egg shell quality? It may be since changing from Reedy Fork Farm to Kalmach, but Reedy Fork does not list the amount of calcium in their feed. I also didn't have the shells out for about a week. The broody one does not have a wattle so I guess I have to pry her beak open.

The broody chicken did much better yesterday and did not run back to the coop after being in a cage a few hours in the morning. I wet her belly with cool water too. She did climb into the nesting box at bedtime though but stayed on the perch this time when I moved her. Hoping she doesn't get back in the box this morning. Thank you for the feedback!