Pullet with laying issues/Egg bound/Soft shelled eggs.

[Gigi1983]

Hi all. I am having a problem with my RIR Hybrid pullet. She started laying 6-7 weeks ago. The first few weeks everything was normal but the last month or so she has been laying her normal egg in the morning and in the late afternoon she looks off form. I take her inside and over the course of the evening she will lay another egg and this one is always soft shelled. The last time it happened I ended up having to put her in an Espom salt bath and afterwards left her in the bathroom with the shower on (top tip for egg bound hens-leave in steamy room after Epsom salt bath and the stuck egg comes out quickly) and after an hour or so she laid 2 soft shelled eggs, one after the other. The problem here is that it keeps happening. Wasn't just an isolated occurrence unfortunately. I am thinking I may have to get her implanted if this problem doesn't phase itself out. Advice?

 

[sloanbychoice]

If you have the means, I think I would do the implant. Sounds like she’s firing them off faster than her little body can deal with them. Poor girl.
Maybe someone will have some better insight.

 

[Gigi1983]

If you have the means, I think I would do the implant. Sounds like she’s firing them off faster than her little body can deal with them. Poor girl.
Maybe someone will have some better insight.

Hi. Thanks for your help. Yes I've had this type of issue many times with my older ex-battery girls but it's the first time it's happened with a pullet. I was hoping she would regulate herself before long but this is about the 6th or 7th time it's happened. Had her in again tonight. The implant definitely an option but wondering if I should give her another few weeks and see if she balances out. Hard to know.

 

[Kay Panelli]

I have an 11 month old pullet with the same issue. When she first started laying, she laid one egg per day but for the past 2 months or so, she lays 2, usually within 12 hours but a few times it was only 3 hours between. Sometimes she lays one normal egg and the other is soft shelled. For the first time she laid 3 eggs within 12 hours…one soft shell in the nesting box, one hard shell in the run on the ground, and the last was sunny side up (no shell) off the perch at night. She typically lays every third day. I talked to a vet but it sounds like he wants to do blood test (calcium level, infection), x-rays, etc….very expensive. What is “implanted”? Thank you.

 

[Shadrach]

Hi all. I am having a problem with my RIR Hybrid pullet. She started laying 6-7 weeks ago. The first few weeks everything was normal but the last month or so she has been laying her normal egg in the morning and in the late afternoon she looks off form. I take her inside and over the course of the evening she will lay another egg and this one is always soft shelled. The last time it happened I ended up having to put her in an Espom salt bath and afterwards left her in the bathroom with the shower on (top tip for egg bound hens-leave in steamy room after Epsom salt bath and the stuck egg comes out quickly) and after an hour or so she laid 2 soft shelled eggs, one after the other. The problem here is that it keeps happening. Wasn't just an isolated occurrence unfortunately. I am thinking I may have to get her implanted if this problem doesn't phase itself out. Advice?

What are you feeding her?

 

[Gigi1983]

What are you feeding her?

Layers pellets and they get rolled oats as a treat. They have oyster shell grit which they can eat freely. But I started giving them all Black Soldier Fly Larvae daily about 8 weeks ago, as it has 7 times the amount of calcium as the oyster shells and this seems to be helping a lot. She now only has an "episode" every 4-5 weeks whereas it was happening weekly at one point.

 

[Gigi1983]

I have an 11 month old pullet with the same issue. When she first started laying, she laid one egg per day but for the past 2 months or so, she lays 2, usually within 12 hours but a few times it was only 3 hours between. Sometimes she lays one normal egg and the other is soft shelled. For the first time she laid 3 eggs within 12 hours…one soft shell in the nesting box, one hard shell in the run on the ground, and the last was sunny side up (no shell) off the perch at night. She typically lays every third day. I talked to a vet but it sounds like he wants to do blood test (calcium level, infection), x-rays, etc….very expensive. What is “implanted”? Thank you.

Sounds very similar to what was going on with my girl. What I did was get some Black Soldier Fly Larvae (most pet stores have it for birds and reptiles. Also widely available online). This has 7 times the amount of calcium as oyster shell grit. Give her roughly an egg cup full every morning. This should help. When I started my girl on this we went from having a weekly episode to an episode every 4 or 5 weeks and I'm hoping it will eventually phase out completely. An implant is an injection of Suprelorin. This is usually administered between the shoulder blades and will stop her laying for 6-9 months. Sometimes up to a year depending on the hen. Try the Black SFL first and you could also supplement her with a little extra calcium for the first few days. If it's still happening on a loop maybe get her implanted. Let me know how you get on.

 

[Kay Panelli]

Sounds very similar to what was going on with my girl. What I did was get some Black Soldier Fly Larvae (most pet stores have it for birds and reptiles. Also widely available online). This has 7 times the amount of calcium as oyster shell grit. Give her roughly an egg cup full every morning. This should help. When I started my girl on this we went from having a weekly episode to an episode every 4 or 5 weeks and I'm hoping it will eventually phase out completely. An implant is an injection of Suprelorin. This is usually administered between the shoulder blades and will stop her laying for 6-9 months. Sometimes up to a year depending on the hen. Try the Black SFL first and you could also supplement her with a little extra calcium for the first few days. If it's still happening on a loop maybe get her implanted. Let me know how you get on.

I have given her Black SFL without success. I have tried all the types of calcium I could find and finally have been giving her calcium tablets 1200 mg. I tried a lower dose, and also experimented with alternating days, etc. If I give it every day, she lays about 1 egg a week but still deformed shell to some degree with occasional soft shell off the roost at night. I am convinced it’s some calcium absorption problem or something like that. She looks healthy and is a sweet chicken. Where I live, I doubt I can find any vet to do the implant (Northern Nevada). Who and where does the implant in your area? Thanks so much!

 

[Kay Panelli]

I have given her Black SFL without success. I have tried all the types of calcium I could find and finally have been giving her calcium tablets 1200 mg. I tried a lower dose, and also experimented with alternating days, etc. If I give it every day, she lays about 1 egg a week but still deformed shell to some degree with occasional soft shell off the roost at night. I am convinced it’s some calcium absorption problem or something like that. She looks healthy and is a sweet chicken. Where I live, I doubt I can find any vet to do the implant (Northern Nevada). Who and where does the implant in your area? Thanks so much!

I forgot to ask if you give live larvae or dried. I have used dried only.