Preventing Egg bound

[Onyxflock]

Is there some way to prevent hens from becoming egg bound? I see so many threads about that and how to treat it, but can you be proactive to prevent it?
Logic seems that after years of laying, like anyone, a hen might begin to have problems. In nature she'd have breaks while raising chicks.
Is it healthier in the long run? Having given away my rooster and now just 5 young hens, I want to help them stay healthy in that dept. now that they're laying.
Any articles or suggestions? Thanks

 

[azygous]

The tendency to egg binding is genetic to a great degree. But there are things you can do to maximize the reproductive health of your laying hens.

One big thing is not to rush onset of laying for pullets by not introducing artificial light in the coop in winter to hurry things up. Giving the pullets time for their bodies to mature will assure pelvic structure adequate for the job of egg laying.

Another good practice is ongoing. That would be to make sure the hens have adequate sun exposure to absorb vitamin D to help absorb and utilize calcium. Along with this, being sure the hens have plenty of exercise will also help absorb calcium.

The main causes of egg binding involve shell quality. Thin shell eggs are more apt to collapse as they are pushed down the reproductive tract. Shell-less eggs are much more difficult to pass, so shell quality is very important to avoid this.

The last thing you can do is to keep watch over your hens as they use the nest boxes. Be ready to intervene with a calcium supplement if the hen appears to be struggling getting an egg out. Just yesterday, and older EE hen of mine was lingering in the nest two hours after she should have laid her egg. She had egg issues two years previously, so I was ready with the calcium. I gave her a 600mg tablet of calcium citrate, which works extremely fast, and she was able to get the egg out within 30 minutes. The egg was thin-shell, so she will get calcium for a few more days to bump up her calcium levels. This is what I use.

 

[azygous]

By the way, all calcium isn't the same. There is calcium carbonate, the most common, found in oyster shell and Tums and many supplements. It's high in calcium, very cheap, but difficult to digest, taking much longer to absorb.

Then there is calcium gluconate, derived from fruits and veggies. It's lowest in calcium and still hard to digest.

The last one is calcium citrate, derived from the industrial process to make citric acid. It's the easiest of all calcium to digest and therefore gets into the system very quickly. This is why it's my go-to remedy in all reproductive crises.

 

[Onyxflock]

By the way, all calcium isn't the same. There is calcium carbonate, the most common, found in oyster shell and Tums and many supplements. It's high in calcium, very cheap, but difficult to digest, taking much longer to absorb.

Then there is calcium gluconate, derived from fruits and veggies. It's lowest in calcium and still hard to digest.

The last one is calcium citrate, derived from the industrial process to make citric acid. It's the easiest of all calcium to digest and therefore gets into the system very quickly. This is why it's my go-to remedy in all reproductive crises.

This is great info, thank you. I take a calcium supplement and it's required to be calcium citrate, so I understand the science.
I'm going to look for that component in their feed and options for oyster shell.

 

[Folly's place]

A quality diet and free choice oyster shell are most important, and then genetics, something that can't be controlled in newly purchased chicks.
Almost all chickens in the USA are produced by birds that are less than two year of age, in fact most parents are under 18 months of age. It's because that's the most economical way to have the most eggs, and chicks, for sale.
So, older birds aren't usually in the breeding pens, at least many places, so longevity isn't prioritized in making breeding decisions. Some private breeders will breed older birds, hoping that selecting individuals who are healthy longer will be better for their flock's overall health.
And hindsight is 20/20! Wishing for more offspring from those hens and roosters in their old age, wonderful if possible.
Mary

 

[aart]

I see so many threads about that and how to treat it, but can you be proactive to prevent it?

Keep in mind that trouble posts here, there are thousands of birds that never get egg bound.
Good info and some products to keep in your preparedness arsenal.
But don't borrow trouble.
A good chicken ration and plain clean water is about all most birds will ever need.

 

[Onyxflock]

Keep in mind that trouble posts here, there are thousands of birds that never get egg bound.
Good info and some products to keep in your preparedness arsenal.
But don't borrow trouble.
A good chicken ration and plain clean water is about all most birds will ever need.

You're right, I need to "stay the course". It's just that it seems that once humans manage animals, they're thrown out of their natural cycles. Women can have "female" problems that are caused by not having children over their childbearing years. So logic says same for hens in my mind.
My RI-Leghorn cross is an egg layibg machine. She isn't even a year and she's laid practically every day since I boughr her in June. Can she keep that up without problems over years? That's why I wondered about eventually bringing a rooster on & let nature take its course. If she's raising chicks it may give her body a chance to rest.
After doctoring my hen when the rooster tore her up I want to avoid that ordeal at all costs. He was overmating her & I had no idea. Being new I had no idea that would happen. So maybe now overthinking everything.
You guys on this post have been a lifesaver! For my hen & me.
Thanks & Happy New Year

 

[aart]

Women can have "female" problems that are caused by not having children over their childbearing years.

Ummm...pretty sure that's not accurate, as is comparing humans to chickens.

My RI-Leghorn cross is an egg layibg machine. She isn't even a year and she's laid practically every day since I boughr her in June. Can she keep that up without problems over years?

She'll take a break from laying to molt during her second fall/winter.
tho high production hybrids are more likely to have reproductive system issues than other breeds.

 

[JacquesLeblanc]

The tendency to egg binding is genetic to a great degree. But there are things you can do to maximize the reproductive health of your laying hens.

One big thing is not to rush onset of laying for pullets by not introducing artificial light in the coop in winter to hurry things up. Giving the pullets time for their bodies to mature will assure pelvic structure adequate for the job of egg laying.

Another good practice is ongoing. That would be to make sure the hens have adequate sun exposure to absorb vitamin D to help absorb and utilize calcium. Along with this, being sure the hens have plenty of exercise will also help absorb calcium.

The main causes of egg binding involve shell quality. Thin shell eggs are more apt to collapse as they are pushed down the reproductive tract. Shell-less eggs are much more difficult to pass, so shell quality is very important to avoid this.

The last thing you can do is to keep watch over your hens as they use the nest boxes. Be ready to intervene with a calcium supplement if the hen appears to be struggling getting an egg out. Just yesterday, and older EE hen of mine was lingering in the nest two hours after she should have laid her egg. She had egg issues two years previously, so I was ready with the calcium. I gave her a 600mg tablet of calcium citrate, which works extremely fast, and she was able to get the egg out within 30 minutes. The egg was thin-shell, so she will get calcium for a few more days to bump up her calcium levels. This is what I use.View attachment 2471178

How do yet a chicken to take a calcium pill???

 

[azygous]

Here's my tutorial on why chickens have an easier time swallowing a bulky pill than humans do.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.