One hen isn't getting enough calcium, what can I do?

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
Yeah, they get alfalfa mix hay, lol no sod in the winter time unfortunately, but I can get some spinach from the grocers.

 

[gckiddhouse]

How about dissolving a few tums in their water? That is just calcium carbonate. It is an excellent source.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
! I didn't know I could do that. Sounds pretty good, I have like a stash in the bathroom from when we had to give them to the dog LOL.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Our hens drink our "hard" water here. According to DH (a pharmacist), it is calcium carbonate that makes the water hard. That is exactly what is in tums. He also says that tums is still the best calcium supplement on the market. So it sounds like a winning solution.
I can tell you that my hens are brand new layers and their shells are rock hard!! I have to really slam them down to break them. It must be the water!
Let us know how it goes if you try it.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
We don't have hard water, we have to have the softener for the house and it treats the outdoor faucet as well. Their water comes from the house well, rather than the barn well.

I'm going to put some tums in their water though!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have the opposite problem. All my chickens started with nice hard shells last summer and fall, but since about October, one BO lays a sandpapery, thin shelled cream colored egg. I even switched them from their organic mash, thinking maybe she wasn't eating the minerals, but no change. They get layena crumbles, oyster shell in a separate dish and less then a cup of BOSS & corn for 12 chickens. I just purchased alfalfa cubes at TSC today, so I plan on giving them a few each day for greens. They also get sprouted wheat a couple times a week. I think she just has a screw up in her system and I use the eggs instead of selling or giving them away. With the thinner shell, I don't think they would stay fresh very long. Of course she lays almost everyday! The egg on the inside appears normal. I know many would cull her, but I really don't need the extra egg! Good luck with your egg problem.

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

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We live in NH, and I have a near by grocery store that lets me pick up veggies once in a while that have gone by, and at least once a week I fill thier run with all kinds of greens, (spinach, kale, red lettuce, cabbage, what ever I know is safe) and you should see those girls attack that food! sheesh! You would think I starve them!

Gauranteed tho, in a day or two my daily egg count goes up! I wish I could do it daily, but I am not the only person who has figured this out in our area

so its first come first serve!

If I miss a pick up, I usually just buy a 1.50 bag of spinach, and dump it out for them, they love it!

Sounds like what I have heard called a 'fart' egg? I bet it will be a fluke!

Oh, and edited to add that I buy hay for my rabbits, and I often find the hens snaking on the stuff that falls thru the cage floor, so I put some in all the nest boxes, and on the shelves. They love it too. (yes my ladies are spoiled...

)

Good Luck!

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
We live in NH, and I have a near by grocery store that lets me pick up veggies once in a while that have gone by, and at least once a week I fill thier run with all kinds of greens, (spinach, kale, red lettuce, cabbage, what ever I know is safe) and you should see those girls attack that food! sheesh! You would think I starve them!

Gauranteed tho, in a day or two my daily egg count goes up! I wish I could do it daily, but I am not the only person who has figured this out in our area

so its first come first serve!

If I miss a pick up, I usually just buy a 1.50 bag of spinach, and dump it out for them, they love it!

Sounds like what I have heard called a 'fart' egg? I bet it will be a fluke!

Oh, and edited to add that I buy hay for my rabbits, and I often find the hens snaking on the stuff that falls thru the cage floor, so I put some in all the nest boxes, and on the shelves. They love it too. (yes my ladies are spoiled...

)

Good Luck!

Haha. I've been putting the cabbages in the coop, apples rolled in peanut butter and scratch, leaves from Brussels...

We can't get the gone by greens from our grocer, but they do get alfalfa mix hay that was pulled off the field at the end of the summer. I might get some alfalfa hay that is sold at the pet stores for hamsters, etc. You can't find alfalfa this late in the season around here unfortunately. My neighbour has tonnes, and I'd ask him but I don't think he'd give any up as he's got dairy cattle and needs it.

 

[silkiechicken]

It may not be a first egg, as if a rough one is on it's way out, an even seasoned layer may deposit it anywhere the mood hits since it's not normal feeling. There's been times I've not had any new layers and an odd softie sitting out in the middle of the drive way. Also have had a silly bird decide to drop a perfect egg in the carport just to run over it with the car.

 

[Wildsky]

I found a really ODD ball egg today myself, it had NO SHELL - or perhaps the shell was really soft, but it felt like only a tough membrane... I picked it up and it didn't break but was like a water balloon!