may 20-chicken has soft shelled eggs

[2beautfulchickens]

Since may 20 until now, I was unsure what to do. Our 1 year Rhode island red has been laying normal eggs. On May 20, she had started with soft shell eggs. Then after getting a calcium injection, she layed the next day but off and off, she had just an egg yolk. The doctor said, well from June onward, let's give her antibiotics until she has 4 consecutive eggs. Well it was off and off. Now its just an egg yolk and 12 hours later, she poops out the shell. She is only 1 year and 2 months old. She has been laying consistenly for 4 months. LAst week, the doctor said we weren't following the treatment plan and that we were supposed to give tums, because of calcium along with the antiobiotics. Now she wants us to just give the tums. No antiobiotics. After the poop comes out after the egg yolk, she starts to feel better. She's eating normally, foraging, dust bathing. I want to fix this issue.The doctor is also a long the line that maybe shes done for the season. She said shes healthy. We have given her feathers fixer. We are doing the calcium and have just started echinacea capsules in the water but she doesn't like that. What is a good treatment plan.

 

[BDutch]

Maybe it’s stress related too?
Can you let her free range a few hours a day? That way she can forage for the supplements she needs herself. Your chicken knows best what she needs. And has more exercise and less stress.

I wouldn’t give any special supplements except for the one the vet subscribed.

 

[Mrs. K]

When people first start with chickens they expect perfect eggs like one gets in the store. It is not that commercial layers never lay an imperfect egg - it is just that the ones we buy are sorted.

I don't think you are going to cure this, I think this is the way she is. Laying is much more strongly related to genetics than it is too food and medicine.

You can remove her from your flock, she might do better in another flock. Or you can keep her. I would not hatch from her if you do get a good egg.

Sometimes this clears up on its own and sometimes it does not. But I think you have a bird with a genetic flaw when it comes to laying, and nothing is going to change that. I think that because neither the medicine or the tums has made much difference. This is just how she is.

Mrs k