Slab Sided Eggs for Months

[NatalieP]

Hi there. I have a 2 yr old marans who has been laying every other day until her molt this year. Prior to her molt I noticed she had started laying slab sided eggs. One side would also be so thin that often times I would see that the egg had a crack in it before pulling it out of the nest box. She went into molt fine, but before coming out of it, she spent a lot of time in the nest box. I suspected internal laying since she would ooze out egg yolk/white mixture from her vent. She never was fully blocked because her droppings never stopped and always appeared normal but looked a little lethargic when in the nest box. She eventually passed 2 very weird egg sack things. Her behavior was always generally fine outside the coop and she's moving just fine again.

Well now she is back to laying and the eggs continue to be very misformed and thin. She eats a flock raiser feed, has unlimited access to it as well as oyster shells and grit and has clean water. I do give an occasional treat but I stopped entirely for a month and still no change. She does pick feathers out.. although this seems to be her trait (working on the feather picking / boredom but she loves to peck more than her flockmates).

So what gives with the weird eggs? Could she have some sort of growth in her system causes the weird shapes? Could there be some disease? Any way to remedy it?

Barely touched this part of the egg and it cracked. Rest of egg isn't as delicate.

What we usually see in the nest box but sometimes with yolk / whites slipped out

 

[Eggcessive]

She may have a problem with her shell gland in the oviduct. Has she ever been exposed to infectious bronchitis, or had a period where she sneezed? I would give her some human calcium with vitamin D orally for the next week, 1 tablet daily, to see if it has any effect. Are you using flock raiser feed because of having roosters or young chicks?

She may have also started with a reproductive infection since the eggs have broken inside. Antibiotics sometimes may help. Amoxicillin or Aqua Mox available online is one used. Some use enrofloxacin, which is banned for chickens, and it is stronger and mire effective against E.coli.

Here is a good article about egg shell problems and possible causes:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[NatalieP]

She may have a problem with her shell gland in the oviduct. Has she ever been exposed to infectious bronchitis, or had a period where she sneezed? I would give her some human calcium with vitamin D orally for the next week, 1 tablet daily, to see if it has any effect. Are you using flock raiser feed because of having roosters or young chicks?

She may have also started with a reproductive infection since the eggs have broken inside. Antibiotics sometimes may help. Amoxicillin or Aqua Mox available online is one used. Some use enrofloxacin, which is banned for chickens, and it is stronger and mire effective against E.coli.

Here is a good article about egg shell problems and possible causes:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

THANK YOU. So much good information. I'm surprised I didn't stumble upon that article yet!

For the calcium and vitamin D, what dosage is appropriate for them? Is it pill form or should I look for liquid? I tried giving her Tums once when I thought she was egg bound and she was not at all interested in it.

I chose to feed flock raiser (no chicks or rooster right now) because I believe I lost my first chicken to excess calcium and since then, I stopped buying store bought layer feed and have noticed no excess calcium deposits on all my ladies eggs. I know this topic can be a little controversial but if you think the layer feed might be ok, I could try that out for a little bit and see if it resolves this particular problem.

No history of illness with her. I don't think she has any internal laying contents anymore, so would you still recommend antibiotics?

 

[MysteryChicken]

THANK YOU. So much good information. I'm surprised I didn't stumble upon that article yet!

For the calcium and vitamin D, what dosage is appropriate for them? Is it pill form or should I look for liquid? I tried giving her Tums once when I thought she was egg bound and she was not at all interested in it.

I chose to feed flock raiser (no chicks or rooster right now) because I believe I lost my first chicken to excess calcium and since then, I stopped buying store bought layer feed and have noticed no excess calcium deposits on all my ladies eggs. I know this topic can be a little controversial but if you think the layer feed might be ok, I could try that out for a little bit and see if it resolves this particular problem.

No history of illness with her. I don't think she has any internal laying contents anymore, so would you still recommend antibiotics?

If you feed flock Raiser, you need oyster shells on the side for the ladies to get the calcium they need for proper eggshell formation, & help them with their contractions to expel an egg.

A hen knows how much calcium they need, so they can't over do it.

 

[NatalieP]

If you feed flock Raiser, you need oyster shells on the side for the ladies to get the calcium they need for proper eggshell formation, & help them with their contractions to expel an egg.

A hen knows how much calcium they need, so they can't over do it.

Yup! They have unlimited access to oyster shells in their run. Thank you! I feel like it's best to let them regulate what they need.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yup! They have unlimited access to oyster shells in their run. Thank you! I feel like it's best to let them regulate what they need.

Okay, good to know you are doing that.

 

[ChookieG]

Seems like you're doing all the right things. My guess is you just have a hen that has a reproductive issue right from the word go. I bought 4 hens in the past that were not well brought up and they had symptoms all through their laying period. One had a chronic sour crop and dodgy poos, another was coughing and sneezing all the time, and another had coughs that resurfaced every so often, and the last never had firm stools. They were also inconsistent layers and frequently laid faulty eggs. When they first moulted, the situation got worse.

Why I suspect an inherent reproductive issue is I finally bred a couple of these hens with a very healthy roo.. and their offsprings which are now laying... never have any issues. I ensure I fed them the right stuff and took care of them well since they first hatched. Their eggs look beautiful and they lay every 24 h.

Oh and like you, I tried several things to see if it was their food that was the issue. Never did make much of a difference.

 

[Kiki]

Yup! They have unlimited access to oyster shells in their run. Thank you! I feel like it's best to let them regulate what they need.

They don't always know what's best for them.

If you don't mind... What makes you think you lost a chicken to too much calcium?

 

[Kiki]

Do you feed any treats... Anything besides the off flock feed?