Sick, Lethargic, lays soft egg and then acting fine- repeat?

[SaltLakeChickenMama]

I can’t seem to figure out what is going on with my girl.

She is 3 years old, has access to oyster shells looks and acts perfectly fine, until she’s getting ready to lay an egg. Then she seems sick and lethargic with no appetite for a day until she lays a soft shelled egg. Then she seems ok again. She hasn’t laid a normal egg since before she molted in October. I’ve seen about 6 soft eggs over the last few weeks.

What’s going on?
And should I be worried that the other hens eat the soft eggs? They all seem totally fine.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

@azygous

 

[azygous]

Your hen isn't absorbing the oyster shell calcium as she should. Her problem goes much further than just the shell-less eggs. These soft eggs get stuck much more often than a hard shell egg would, and one of these days, it could cause her very serious problems, even cost her her life.

Get some calcium citrate. It's a form of calcium that's easy to digest and absorb. Give her one whole tablet directly in her beak each day for one week. If her eggs are still shell-less or thin-shelled, continue the calcium each day for another week. Do not dissolve the tablet in water or try to mix it in food. She must have the entire tablet to do any good, and do not fret that she cannot swallow it. Chickens have no problem swallowing big pills.

 

[SaltLakeChickenMama]

Your hen isn't absorbing the oyster shell calcium as she should. Her problem goes much further than just the shell-less eggs. These soft eggs get stuck much more often than a hard shell egg would, and one of these days, it could cause her very serious problems, even cost her her life.

Get some calcium citrate. It's a form of calcium that's easy to digest and absorb. Give her one whole tablet directly in her beak each day for one week. If her eggs are still shell-less or thin-shelled, continue the calcium each day for another week. Do not dissolve the tablet in water or try to mix it in food. She must have the entire tablet to do any good, and do not fret that she cannot swallow it. Chickens have no problem swallowing big pills.View attachment 4087049

Thank you! I will try this and report back!

 

[sakerobot]

Thank you! I will try this and report back!

Any luck? I also have just one hen who's been laying a soft egg but acting fine otherwise and may need to try this after identifying her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Any luck? I also have just one hen who's been laying a soft egg but acting fine otherwise and may need to try this after identifying her.

Hens who are producing soft eggs can also have a problem with their shell gland or could be developing salpingitis. After giving calcium citrate with vitamin D for 7 days, it may help the shells become hard, make it easier to pass them, but if it doesn’t then clear it up, there may be nothing else you can do. Some vets will prescribe hormone implant to stop them from laying for 6 months, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a vet willing. The FDA laws change constantly, and many have reported that vets are not allowed to use hormone implants for chickens.

 

[SaltLakeChickenMama]

Any luck? I also have just one hen who's been laying a soft egg but acting fine otherwise and may need to try this after identifying her.

I came here to say that I haven’t had much luck. I got half of a calcium in her but she kept spitting it out since. I even dissolved some calcium and mixed it in scrambled eggs and she wouldn’t eat it! I finally gave her some lentils which have calcium in them, but she isn’t doing well. About to google salpingitus…

 

[Eggcessive]

Most people just pull down on the wattles, open the beak, pop the tablet in, release the wattles, and they swallow it. Here are some good articles on salpingitis:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/lash-eggs-salpingitis/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

 

[SaltLakeChickenMama]

Most people just pull down on the wattles, open the beak, pop the tablet in, release the wattles, and they swallow it. Here are some good articles on salpingitis:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/lash-eggs-salpingitis/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

Thanks for the links. Fortunately I have not yet seen a lash egg, but all of the other symptoms of salpingitis are there.
I have a vet appt scheduled for Friday (3 1/2 days away). Do you think I should still try to get calcium in her?

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I would personally.