Older hen laying banded and weak-shelled eggs. Anything I can do?

[TropicalChickies]

Hi there,
My hen Cherie (she's about 3.5 years) still lays a few times per week but her eggs have weak shells with a band around them that cracks very easily. I've done a some research on this and it seems stress would be an issue, but there's not much to be stressed about -- no predators, I've dewormed her, and plenty of forage, food, and sunshine. She eats layer feed with calcium and phosphorus added. She recently hatched and mothered two beautiful healthy chicks, a rooster and a pullet, and seems content. She's very healthy, of my older hens she's the only one who never had a bumble or any problem. But I'm afraid one of these weak eggs will break inside her while she's trying to lay it.

We live in a pretty remote area in South America and I can't find oyster shell for chickens anywhere, but I have some "human" calcium tablets made with oyster shell I can crush and give her if that's a good idea.

Each tablet has 260 mg of calcium. What would be a good amount per day to try?

Here she is with "her kids" Paco and Lucia. (Her crop always looks bulgy like that in the afternoon, but I check it and in the mornings it's flat as a pancake.)

 

[azygous]

You've done an excellent job of presenting the facts of the issue. And you already know the remedy. I only need to confirm it. Yes, she requires added calcium, and the human supplement is what you need.

To correct the shell issue, give her at least 600mg of calcium per day until the shells are strong again. Should an egg get stuck, this is also the dose to create contractions so she can push the egg out.

All your laying hens need a regular source of calcium. Since you can't find oyster shell, you might be able to fine limestone gravel which is calcium carbonate. You might know of a local spot where you can filch some. If you have any limestone caves in your area, you have this stuff in your soil.

 

[TropicalChickies]

You've done an excellent job of presenting the facts of the issue. And you already know the remedy. I only need to confirm it. Yes, she requires added calcium, and the human supplement is what you need.

To correct the shell issue, give her at least 600mg of calcium per day until the shells are strong again. Should an egg get stuck, this is also the dose to create contractions so she can push the egg out.

All your laying hens need a regular source of calcium. Since you can't find oyster shell, you might be able to fine limestone gravel which is calcium carbonate. You might know of a local spot where you can filch some. If you have any limestone caves in your area, you have this stuff in your soil.

Thank you very much for the confirmation. I'll get her started on the calcium right away.