Nutrient deficiency I can’t figure out

[Annabellaa]

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?

I have thought about toxicity, and I honestly don’t know. my last hen died from internal laying due to what seemed like cancer in her oviduct. Apparently shavings can cause cancer? I use horse shavings in my coop so maybe that’s causing issues for them? I’ve pretty much ripped the walls off to see if the insulation is moldy just in case it was mold toxins. There’s cedar trees behind the coop but they don’t really go into them. I’ve checked all the plants in and around the coop. These are my first chickens and honestly my first pets and I didn’t know how frustrating it would be when they get sick and how often they get sick when they are older. Honestly if it’s not nutrient deficiency my best guess would be they came in contact with bird poop or a feather or something from a wild animal (maybe ate a sick mouse) and just got sick with something I can’t figure out. The poultry cell seemed to do good for my one hen and it felt like a win for a bit but she still won’t gain weight.

 

[Annabellaa]

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.

Is it just the age that causes poor egg quality then? I didn’t think 5 was that old . Or would it be the vitamin d or something else they are missing like magnesium, phosphorus etc?


Also I noticed that after the small amount of poultry cell I gave my bald chicken she grew a couple feathers on her eyebrows. Is that likely a fluke? Or should I try giving her some for a few days? I worry about giving them too much iron and protein I don’t want to give them kidney damage. I only learned about it like a week ago and gave it a shot on a whim and it seemed to do some good

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Honestly, I'm going to have to look over everything you are giving your birds, mull it over a bit, then make some recommendations.

Having an egg stuck internally can happen to any chicken - there are a bunch of potential causes, but the high production breeds - leghorns, RIRs, NHRs, and the production crosses - particularly RSLs like Comets, Red Star, Gold Star, etc are prone to egg issues at younger ages - 5 isn't "young" for them - though they can live much longer..

I'd love to offer answers tonight, but my heart isn't in it, and my brain is elsewhere. A lot on my plate this week, guests arriving in a couple days. I'll have some suggestions by Thursday.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Is it just the age that causes poor egg quality then? I didn’t think 5 was that old . Or would it be the vitamin d or something else they are missing like magnesium, phosphorus etc?


Also I noticed that after the small amount of poultry cell I gave my bald chicken she grew a couple feathers on her eyebrows. Is that likely a fluke? Or should I try giving her some for a few days? I worry about giving them too much iron and protein I don’t want to give them kidney damage. I only learned about it like a week ago and gave it a shot on a whim and it seemed to do some good

Hatchery chicks are infamous for having issues ~3 years in to life. Mostly because hatcheries don't let their hens live that long anyways. I cannot comment on it because I haven't had my chickens that long but only three of mine are from hatcheries. Depending on the breed and quality of breeding, yes life expectancy fluctuates. I agree with U_stormcrew that 5 isn't exactly young, but some chickens have a prospective full life of 8-12 years. With your RIR, I do not think it was in your control of when she died, because egg issues are widely known in that breed. Also, for the half-rooster, she most likely had a huge dip in estrogen levels, which makes testosterone traits present themselves. The spurs and bigger body would be a cause of her system having now significantly less estrogen than testosterone; think of it like hormone blockers in humans. The cause of the dip is usually reproductive-issues related.

 

[saysfaa]

I have thought about toxicity, and I honestly don’t know. my last hen died from internal laying due to what seemed like cancer in her oviduct. Apparently shavings can cause cancer? I use horse shavings in my coop so maybe that’s causing issues for them? I’ve pretty much ripped the walls off to see if the insulation is moldy just in case it was mold toxins. There’s cedar trees behind the coop but they don’t really go into them. I’ve checked all the plants in and around the coop. These are my first chickens and honestly my first pets and I didn’t know how frustrating it would be when they get sick and how often they get sick when they are older. Honestly if it’s not nutrient deficiency my best guess would be they came in contact with bird poop or a feather or something from a wild animal (maybe ate a sick mouse) and just got sick with something I can’t figure out. The poultry cell seemed to do good for my one hen and it felt like a win for a bit but she still won’t gain weight.

I found a book that has chapters on toxins. Here is a link to the book. It covered nutrient toxicity as well as several other categories. The only entry I noticed while skimming through that part of the book that talked about feather loss was parsley, ammi majus. Both evidently cause photosensitivity that results in loss of feathers. I had to look up ammi majus. It is native to the mediterranean but does grow in at least some parts of Canada.

I think this is unlikely to be helpful but offer it just in case.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Also, they might be having possible liver issues which could cause absorbency issues of all sorts of nutrients. This isn't all that likely to be your full flock, though. Possibly try a feather-growing feed or adding a lot more various kinds of healthy proteins to their diets. Additionally, chickens slow laying and have egg-related issues commonly at 5+ years. It would be good to get them off of layer feed, on to a chick or grower feed, and let them free-choice their calcium at that age. They could be getting too much calcium, which could cause liver issues.

If they've been reliable with their calcium all their life before now, I doubt they've suddenly stopped learning when to eat calcium.
I sometimes think I have the opposite issue. Doing the math, my chickens are calcium vacuums and do not care about oyster vs baked well egg shells, they eat it all. They have an insane amount of calcium intake to me, but they have little egg issues so I think they are fine. For context, mine are all under 1 year old, still growing, and in their prime for laying, so I'm getting eggs from almost all of them every day despite them being dual-purpose and mixed birds. That is why their calcium intake isn't too shocking.
If you've tried flaked oyster shells, chickens like those over other kinds of oyster. If your oyster is thick or dissatisfying to them, try baking it at 220 °F for 15 minutes and crushing it up (put in a bag and smash with a rolling pin but do not make too small, the chickens will also be able to break it up by themselves.)

 

[2 Acres]

One thing that I can think of is that we vertebrates, both humans and chickens, need an adequate amount of vitamin D in order for the body to actually absorb the calcium and put it to use.

I don't know if there are standards for vitamin D for chickens. I would think that it's added to commercial chicken feed in high enough quantities for chickens with normal metabolisms. But perhaps for chickens where something has gone awry, low vitamin D might be the culprit? Also, if they get out and about in the sunshine, their bodies will metabolize vitamin D from the sun. I know you've tried different calcium sources. Have you tried human calcium tablets, and if so, do they also have vitamin D?

What breeds are your girls, and how old are they? Sometimes with the chicken breeds created for high production and general commercial use, their bodies just can't keep up with the demand to create and lay daily extra-large eggs, and their reproductive systems become damaged.

Chickens also get vitamin D from the sun, (and through their eyes).