Peas as treats and soft shelled eggs

[11mini]

I also have a Khaki that always lays soft eggs and one that lays normal. They are both 1.5 years old and get the same everything as the three chickens. Oyster, layer feed, fresh water. They both laid like champs for the first year then one started the soft shells intermittently now it is every one. I have given calcium supplements (repti-calc powder for mealworms/crickets) and they did not seem to help. Not sure what is going on but I'm here to find out. I have heard that spinach can block calcium absorption but not about peas.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I am now a member of the soft shell club. I've got 6 runner girls laying really well but have had 3 softish shelled eggs in the past 2 days. They are eating a ton of oyster shells. I am filling their bowl, which probably holds 2 cups, every other day. They get tomatoes with fresh veggies and cooked rice every day for treats. Their food is regular Dumor layer pellets, & cracked corn. They don't like peas so that can't be the issue. Maybe they're just laying too many eggs and can't keep up with the calcium?

 

[Cayuga momma]

From what I have read the calcium from a duck or chicken comes from their bones. Oyster shell takes longer to dissolve into their system, but more of it goes to their bones. Calcium citrate and other stuff that dissolves faster will go straight to their bones, but not as much will be absorbed. If giving oyster shells it could taking longer for it to take effect and help with soft shelled eggs.
If they are eating something that is blocking the absorption or their system isn't absorbing like it should they will have problems with the soft shelled eggs.
You can stop giving any kind of treats and see if that makes a difference.

I hope all this made sense.

 

[DuckyDonna]

From what I have read the calcium from a duck or chicken comes from their bones. Oyster shell takes longer to dissolve into their system, but more of it goes to their bones. Calcium citrate and other stuff that dissolves faster will go straight to their bones, but not as much will be absorbed. If giving oyster shells it could taking longer for it to take effect and help with soft shelled eggs.
If they are eating something that is blocking the absorption or their system isn't absorbing like it should they will have problems with the soft shelled eggs.
You can stop giving any kind of treats and see if that makes a difference.

I hope all this made sense.

Thanks, I will stop all the extras and just stick with the regular food. I will try using calcium gluconate on their food tomorrow too. Miss Lydia told me to get some calcium citrate too which I will but I don't have any right now.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

What I read said that there is a fine balance between the ratio of calcium and phosphorus. And, if the phosphorus is too high, rubber eggs are the result. I then looked up foods high in phosphorus and peas and corn are on the list -my normal morning treats. So, they are now getting kale and they are not happy about it. We will see how it goes.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Stop the peas.
See if things improve.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Kwackers laid a normal looking egg this morning! First time in more than six months. I am cautiously optimistic!

 

[3bird]

This is so interesting. Our flock loves peas and get them twice a day in their soup. We do not usually have egg problems.

 

[11mini]

I limit treats and it is only one of five birds. The other duck and the chickens lay normally.

 

[Ninjadawn]

I have had issues with soft shelled eggs for the last year. So, I was hopeful when my girls stopped laying for the winter that they would have time to refill their calcium stores and lay nice, hard-shelled eggs when they resumed laying in the spring. Well, they have begun and the problems are continuing. I have supplemented with calcium in several forms and vitamin D for months with only minor improvement. I found an article today which suggests that high concentrations of phosphate in their blood can cause shell-less or rubber eggs. Since peas are high in phosphorus, I am wondering if I have been causing the problem because I give them peas as treats every morning. Has anyone who gave peas daily had this problem? Or, do any of you give peas daily and not have shell quality issues? Any help would be appreciated.

Yes I have egg shell problems also and I feed my duck peas for breakfast every day she loves them so much and has gotten upset when they were no peas waiting at the end of the ramp. If she lays an egg it won't have a shell & if I do see a shell it is always collapsed a little ways away and she did lay a parakeet sized egg with a harder shell once. He eggs were beautiful when she first started laying them some had double yokes.
She gets fruits and or a vegetable daily & always has duck food available, I've tried plenty of calcium vitamin and brewers yeast with no difference at all & I cut way back on peas with no difference. She does eat the chickens food sometimes. Did you figure out what was wrong?