Parasite or worm leeching calcium?

[Sheri460]

I have a 2 year old hen, Agnes, (was supposed to be black australorp but is not, black with copper around neck) that has been laying super thin shelled eggs for about 6 months. Some days they are almost paper thin. The other 4 hens have not had issues with thin shells. They have oyster shells, limestone and crushed eggs shells available in their run at all times. I feed them fermented high quality feed in the mornings and they have access to a high quality (Scratch & Peck Feeds) pellet in a feeder the rest of the day. Today, Agnes was still on the roost in the coop when I went out at 8am. So I opened the access door from the back and she was standing on the roost alert, but her tail was down. Finally she jumped down and came out and raised her tail up. But she was walking very slow and it seemed like her butt was hanging lower than normal. I was concerned she was egg bound at first, but she did lay an egg yesterday late morning, but it did have a paper thin shell. She walked around slowly for a minute and then let out a large watery poop full of water yurates. There were a couple small blobs of greenish poo in it, but 90% watery clear with white watery urates in it. So something is obviously going on. I've wondered for awhile why her egg shells have been so thin, but she has had no other symptoms of anything. But now I'm wondering if she could have a worm or parasite that is leeching the calcium from her and now it's becoming an issue.

I've tried to search around to see bug, illness, worm, parasite... could be causing the thin shells and start there... but I'm not having much luck.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

 

[Eggcessive]

You could get some human calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D3, and give her one orally just shoved into the back of her throat once a day for the next 7 days. That should tell you if the problem is calcium. Sometimes a shell gland problem from exposure to infectious bronchitis virus, stress in the flock, an injury, or infection can cause egg shell problems. I had a hen who was young, the best daily layer of hard shell eggs, who was injured by a dog. She molted immediately from the stress, stopped laying for 4 months, and all of her eggs after that were either thin shelled or shell-less.

Does the limestone have magnesium in it? Why do you use that? Be aware that popular scratch and peck type feeds have many seeds and grains, and tiny particles or powdery supplements, and chickens can pick out the best or tastiest parts, leaving important additives. That could result in a vitamin or mineral or protein deficiency. Feeding a crumble or pellet feed that is all the same in each particle may be better.

 

[Sheri460]

You could get some human calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D3, and give her one orally just shoved into the back of her throat once a day for the next 7 days. That should tell you if the problem is calcium. Sometimes a shell gland problem from exposure to infectious bronchitis virus, stress in the flock, an injury, or infection can cause egg shell problems. I had a hen who was young, the best daily layer of hard shell eggs, who was injured by a dog. She molted immediately from the stress, stopped laying for 4 months, and all of her eggs after that were either thin shelled or shell-less.

Does the limestone have magnesium in it? Why do you use that? Be aware that popular scratch and peck type feeds have many seeds and grains, and tiny particles or powdery supplements, and chickens can pick out the best or tastiest parts, leaving important additives. That could result in a vitamin or mineral or protein deficiency. Feeding a crumble or pellet feed that is all the same in each particle may be better.

Thank you!
I will definitely get the calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D3 and give that a try. I've always used oyster shells and their own egg shells crushed and given back to them. However, the oyster shells were hard to find for awhile and I bought limestone as an alternative. So now I keep a bowl in the run that has oyster shells and limestones mixed into it. I'll attach a picture of the bag.

Yes, I've had the issue of the hens pecking what they want out of that feed (https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/naturally-free-layer/) so I started fermenting it. There is very little leftover when it's fermented so they're getting the good stuff. But I also have the pellets (https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/organic-layer-pellets-grub-protein/) in a feeder in their run at all times too.

I don't feel like it's a food issue because my other 4 hens are fine and they're all eating the same food and have access to the same supplements. I think it's something keeping Agnes from absorbing the minerals and nutrition from the feed. But I could be wrong. Just seems likely to me. I'll try to calcium directly and see how she does.

Thank you!

 

[Sheri460]

Thank you!
I will definitely get the calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D3 and give that a try. I've always used oyster shells and their own egg shells crushed and given back to them. However, the oyster shells were hard to find for awhile and I bought limestone as an alternative. So now I keep a bowl in the run that has oyster shells and limestones mixed into it. I'll attach a picture of the bag.

Yes, I've had the issue of the hens pecking what they want out of that feed (https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/naturally-free-layer/) so I started fermenting it. There is very little leftover when it's fermented so they're getting the good stuff. But I also have the pellets (https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/organic-layer-pellets-grub-protein/) in a feeder in their run at all times too.

I don't feel like it's a food issue because my other 4 hens are fine and they're all eating the same food and have access to the same supplements. I think it's something keeping Agnes from absorbing the minerals and nutrition from the feed. But I could be wrong. Just seems likely to me. I'll try to calcium directly and see how she does.

Thank you!

 

[dawg53]

Since calcium is readily available, it would be best to give Agnes just vitamin D which helps with calcium absorption.