Nutrient deficiency I can’t figure out

[U_Stormcrow]

They are just fed a normal 18% layer crumble I don’t have the label with me but in theory is should have enough vit D in it?

Which brand? which feed, specifically. good chance I can look up the label on my own. A well made Layer should provide all the Ca those birds, at those ages, should need.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Actually I was reading about that today. How important phosphorus and potassium is for chickens but I had a hard time finding any supplements for them in my search locally that seemed to have sufficient amounts if any at all. Is there a way I can supplement that for them? Are there certain foods or human options that are safe for them?

Do they have access to soil to peck at when foraging? If so, they're probably getting their phosphorus and potassium.

Calcium metabolism issues seem to be the mineral to be concerned about, and the required vitamin D to let calcium do its job.

@U_Stormcrow , do you have any idea of required vit D amounts for laying hens? It's fat-soluble, therefore retained in the body, so you don't want to go crazy with it. In the third pic, it says it contains 0.01 mg per mg. The others (the ones that have vit D) list the accursed IUs (international units.)

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Things are loading oddly for me on my phone right now. If my uploading works. I have a reply to someone above that shows what I’ve been attempting to supplement with. If it didn’t upload I will rewrite it

Your pics did upload, the ones of the supplements!

 

[Annabellaa]

All my hens seem to have a massive nutrient imbalance.

I have had an issue with birds getting sick all from things that point to a calcium deficiency. Or at least some kind of mineral deficiency that I cannot figure out. I have been giving calcium in multiple different ways and it doesn’t seem to be doing anything??? The issues range from laying eggs with no shells, to internally laying, I have one hen who has been half bald for like 2 years and she won’t molt or grow her feathers back. I’ve had 2 chickens break toes doing seemingly nothing. So is there another nutrient I’m missing that makes their ability to digest calcium better? Am I not giving enough calcium? Does it have nothing to do with calcium all together? I have lost 2 hens to internally laying/ eggs breaking inside due to poor shell quality.

Recently my hen popcorn (who has laid shell-less eggs in the past) prolapsed. I was able to fix the prolapse and she has not re prolapsed. But her comb fell over and shrivelled and turned black when this happened. The colour returned to red and I’ve been giving her poultry cell and she seems to have perked up a bit but still not back to normal. Her comb has come back a lot but not fully. And she is still very thin

What am I missing? What are they missing from their diet ? Is it the feed? Is there things I can add to the feed? They have been treated for virtually everything else the only thing I can think of is they are seriously lacking in something diet wise. I am worried that I will lose popcorn to another prolapse/ soft shell. Or my other hen (nugget) if she doesn’t start growing feathers

Replying to myself so hopefully it’ll be easy to find. This may be a little over board but these are my hens and what they look like/ their issues. If u see anything that looks unhealthy or a pattern I’m not seeing let me know please. (I am in my PJ’s so I apologize)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow , do you have any idea of required vit D amounts for laying hens? It's fat-soluble, therefore retained in the body, so you don't want to go crazy with it. In the third pic, it says it contains 0.01 mg per mg. The others (the ones that have vit D) list the accursed IUs (international units.)

3,000-4,500 iu / kg. A little shy 4,000 iu/kg is probably the "sweet spot" for most adult birds laying birds in most circumstances.

1 mg of Vitamin D3 is equal to 40,000 IU.

and I'll recheck the label before doing the math. Seeing 0.01 mg per mg just isn't the way things are normally written - but I don't use boosters, so maybe its just that I'm not familiar with their labeling.

 

[Annabellaa]

Do they have access to soil to peck at when foraging? If so, they're probably getting their phosphorus and potassium.

Calcium metabolism issues seem to be the mineral to be concerned about, and the required vitamin D to let calcium do its job.

@U_Stormcrow , do you have any idea of required vit D amounts for laying hens? It's fat-soluble, therefore retained in the body, so you don't want to go crazy with it. In the third pic, it says it contains 0.01 mg per mg. The others (the ones that have vit D) list the accursed IUs (international units.)

Yes and no on the foraging. I have a chicken tractor, a caged area I move that is on grass, and like 3 nights a week I let them fully free range before it gets dark when I get home from work. The property is very flat. And the farms surrounding are the same so not many places to hide and there’s an eagles nest 2 farms over so I don’t allow them to free range anymore. I try my best to get them out of the run but they aren’t out all the time. They used to be fully free range before I started losing hens.

Also out of curiosity, when they are offered cooked eggs and their shells, oyster shells, or some form of protein with treats or in addition to feed they always pick around it. They even pick through the cooked egg as to not eat the shells. Are they doing this because they lack what it tastes to process the calcium? Or am I too focused on calcium and maybe I’m missing something else? If the poultry cell helped my one hen with her appetite could they be lacking some ingredient In there in addition to calcium?

 

[Annabellaa]

Which brand? which feed, specifically. good chance I can look up the label on my own. A well made Layer should provide all the Ca those birds, at those ages, should need.

Master feeds heritage. 18% layer crumble

 

[Annabellaa]

3,000-4,500 iu / kg. A little shy 4,000 iu/kg is probably the "sweet spot" for most adult birds laying birds in most circumstances.

1 mg of Vitamin D3 is equal to 40,000 IU.

and I'll recheck the label before doing the math. Seeing 0.01 mg per mg just isn't the way things are normally written - but I don't use boosters, so maybe its just that I'm not familiar with their labeling.

On those labels (bc it’s been hard to get a straight answer it varies between brands) is the amount on the label what is in the entire container? If so how do you figure out if it’s enough per serving? These containers have a lot of doses in them but Are they getting little tiny amounts every time and it isn’t rlly making a difference ?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

On those labels (bc it’s been hard to get a straight answer it varies between brands) is the amount on the label what is in the entire container? If so how do you figure out if it’s enough per serving? These containers have a lot of doses in them but Are they getting little tiny amounts every time and it isn’t rlly making a difference ?

Math. I do Math. Lots of Math. Yet another service I provide BYC

After a shower. I was on the tractor earlier moving tons of gravel.

and yes, I think you are too fixated on calcium - chances are they are getting too much calcium, which is why they are avoiding discrete Ca sources like egg shell & oyster shell.

Your feed, btw.

 

[saysfaa]

.. Are they doing this because they lack what it tastes to process the calcium?...

More likely, they are doing it because they have enough calcium.

That feed seems very reputable.

Have you thought about another option besides lacking a nutrient? Toxicity can have similar symptoms. I don't need the answers to the following questions; they are an attempt to spark ideas in a different direction. Was your coop used for anything besides chickens? Do you know what your land has been used for? Have your neighbors had similar issues with their livestock?