Pulled soft egg shell from chickens vent. Will she be ok?

[Eggcessive]

Check your bottle and make sure how many tablets in a dose. It may be 2 tablets and that would be 250 mg. Usually, 300-600 mg is a good dose of calcium citrate for passing an egg, and some tablets have 620 mg. But again that may be 2 tablets.

 

[LaurasNew]

Check your bottle and make sure how many tablets in a dose. It may be 2 tablets and that would be 250 mg. Usually, 300-600 mg is a good dose of calcium citrate for passing an egg, and some tablets have 620 mg. But again that may be 2 tablets.

Thanks, it says 500mg calcium carbonate and its one tablet per day. I gave her 1 today and she's been drinking poultry tonic in her water all day. Eating almost nothing. A tiny amount of Greek yogurt, tiny bit of scrambled egg. Wouldn't eat any mashed feed. She did poop though since twice and did walk around a little gingerly this evening before bed. Then when I picked her up she threw up some fluid. Her vent looked clean and no more leakage as in the picture. I hope she is OK when I go out tomorrow

 

[Eggcessive]

I would check her crop in early morning after she goes without food and water to make sure that her crop is emptying overnight.

 

[LaurasNew]

I would check her crop in early morning after she goes without food and water to make sure that her crop is emptying overnight.

I will, thanks. She's a lovely little hen. We just don't seem to have access to the same medicines here in Ireland as you all do in America. It's really frustrating

 

[LaurasNew]

600mg. Get one with vit D, that's needed to absorb the calcium. Pop the whole pill in her mouth, she can swallow it.

Just wanted to thank you again. I was very concerned about giving her that tablet! It just looked too big. You gave me great confidence and it's another thing I've learned is possible with chickens

 

[LaurasNew]

I will, thanks. She's a lovely little hen. We just don't seem to have access to the same medicines here in Ireland as you all do in America. It's really frustrating

She's so much better this morning! Out with the others , her crop feels empty but when she is walking she crouches every now and then. I will continue to give the calcium and hope she can pass whatever else is blocked. I've put her back in the cage with more vitamin water and mashed feed which she is eating! This has REALLY made me think about the value of treats! Like I don't give them anything considered unhealthy so the only reason I can think of for this to happen is me feeding them too many treats and her not getting enough of what she actually needs. I think because of my family there's an element of oh when your great granny had chickens(prob around 30) they just got scraps(shared between 30) and in truth they clucked around a farm all day and nobody counted to see if all 30 came back! I'm going to really limit "treats" from now on and see how they do.

 

[townchicks]

I'm so glad she's doing better. Keep up the calcium for about a week. Sometimes soft shells are just a glitch, or some hens just don't process calcium well, or it could be a sign of underlying, unknown issues. Hard to say what caused this. Do limit treats to 10% or less of total diet, and offer oyster shell on the side. Some hens prefer crushed eggshells instead, I offer both, free choice. Just keep an eye on her.

 

[LaurasNew]

Thanks, I will watch her closely. She hasn't laid today. Hopefully she'll be OK.

I'm so glad she's doing better. Keep up the calcium for about a week. Sometimes soft shells are just a glitch, or some hens just don't process calcium well, or it could be a sign of underlying, unknown issues. Hard to say what caused this. Do limit treats to 10% or less of total diet, and offer oyster shell on the side. Some hens prefer crushed eggshells instead, I offer both, free choice. Just keep an eye on her.

 

[Jesse Lee Turner]

Ok, there we see a soft shell egg. Usually it means low calcium (there's about a half hour window during which in calcium gets laid down in the shell gland, much like nacre on a pearl, that will then help shift that egg along). If calcium is ok, then it is co-factor transporter failure (low K2, low Mg, maybe then low Phosphorus).

Support Plan for Hen with Soft Shell Egg & Possible Calcium Transport Dysfunction​

1. Calcium supplementation:

**When laying hens need sometimes up to 4g of calcium a day. When not laying, much less, I think it is like 0.2-0.25g. Crushed egg shell will do fine, oyster shell. (Too little calcium = problems. Too much = also problems including messing with kidneys and storing calcium in soft tissues).

2. Magnesium support:

*Magnesium in large doses will block calcium. But in small doses it acts as a signaler of calcium. It is a calcium transporter co-factor. That said we can add magnesium glycinate in a low dose (around 20 - 40 mg per day) to support calcium transport and muscle function, (sometimes when soft shell eggs come out it it not straight away. The same calcium needed to make shell is the same calcium needed to make the muscles contract properly to get the egg moving along to the outside world). Magnesium helps calcium do it's job properly, so that there is proper contraction and normal relaxation of the repro muscles.

3. Vitamin K2 (MK-7 form):

*** Just as Magnesium signals calcium to prepare for work, K2 importantly directs it as to where best to go. (It's also how you avoid osteoporosis in flocks, because K2 shunts free calcium to bone). Give a small dose of vitamin K2 (e.g., 15-30 mcg per day) to help direct calcium to proper tissues like shell glands and bones, reducing soft tissue calcification and improving shell quality.

4. Vitamin D3 (with caution):

****Only supplement vitamin D3 if confirmed deficient, as too much can cause imbalances. Vitamin D3 is critical for calcium absorption but requires those other balanced cofactors (Mg, K2) on board first.

**Oral dose:
For a 2-year-old hen, about 1000 IU (International Units) per day of vitamin D3 is a safe starting point for calcium absorption support. Some backyard poultry keepers give between 500–2000 IU/day depending on condition and exposure, but 1000 IU is moderate and cautious.

I seen more given, but that's not right in my humble brain. They soon get gout and look lethargic (which is usual signs of too much calcium, it increases acidity of blood. Same effect with too much protein, it produces uric acid bad.

Antidote: 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 2 tablespoons of water is right mix. If bad ruffled and gouty then give 4ml right off, (use syringe that has ml markings, no needle of course, just deliver from syringe), then wait and redose 1 ml at a time every 40 minutes until she perks up and starts making normal sounds and acts normal again. If not so bad, then give only 2 ml at first and redose every 30 minutes at 1 ml till condition improves).

***D3 From sunlight:
My favorite way to get hens their daily D3. Hens exposed direct to sunlight (they use UVB rays) can synth their own vitamin D3. (Clever huh?) Approximately 30 minutes of midday sun exposure daily is generally enough for adequate vitamin D3 synthesis in healthy birds. However, the effectiveness depends on:

*** Time of year & latitude (less UVB in winter/far north)
*** Feather coverage and skin exposure
*** Hen’s health and ability to synthesize D3

Important Note: If the hen is mostly indoors or in shade, oral supplementation is critical. (please see up above).

5. Phosphorus (P)

**Phosphorus is often overlooked but it works with calcium for proper eggshell formation. The ideal Calciumhosphorus ratio in laying hens is roughly 3:1 (calcium three times phosphorus). Some people have said 2:1. I don't find that useful, as too much P can make a mess of Calcium.

**Too little phosphorus can impair eggshell quality; too much can disrupt calcium metabolism and kidney function.

** I was lucky to find a bone meal powder with approx right ratio, and my little flocklings do well on it. So a combined Ca-P supp does exist.

Sum-Up Notes:

1. Soft shell eggs often caused by calcium deficiency and/OR transporter co-factor deficiency. The triad of Ca + Mg + K2 is key. It there still seems to be something wrong, think about D3. If still something wrong, vitamin A is the master transporter. Overactive ovary syndrome leads to depletion of vitamin A and therefore all the calcium in the world will not seem to help.

2. Avoid overdosing magnesium or vitamin K2 — balance is essential.

3. Consistent oyster shell or free-choice calcium alone will not be enough if cofactors are missing or deficient.