Soft egg in old hen

[Eddie12109]

thank you for that information!
so I already gave her a whole capsule mixed with yogurt... will that cause even more problems?
how would I give a half without adding it to anything since it is a powder?
so I won’t give anymore to her today and an update, she left her area and there was nothing left but she was able to walk a pretty far distance so you are correct, probably something in oviduct instead of egg binding. Her crop feels the same and she ate her yogurt pretty agressively. She is acting completely fine right now.
also would it be smart to occasionally put some of the powder from the pill in my hens waterer. I haven’t seen them touch the OS once and want to make sure they get it...if i can, what dosing would you say is right in a gallon waterer?

 

[azygous]

It's a powder? Not solid tablets? Then you need to be able to measure out approximately 500mg per dose per day. It's a math problem.

The other hens do not need any more calcium than they get from the oyster shell. They will crave the oyster shell and consume as much as they need of it to satisfy their needs. Forcing extra calcium on hens that demonstrate no need for it invites overdosing and physical problems down the road that include kidney stones and other kidney issues. For this reason, hens should always be allowed to access oyster shell on their own, and not have extra calcium forced on them in their water or food. This way, they self regulate.

It's safe to give extra calcium to a hen in a reproductive crisis because they need the calcium and it's a temporary measure.

 

[Eddie12109]

so i attached a picture of what the pills are. And thank you for that... I won’t put any in the waters
so since they are 1000 mg just give half of one a day mixed in yogurt or something like that?

 

[azygous]

Half of 1000 is 500. Just right. Mix the powder with a teaspoon of yogurt and that should get the entire dose into the hen.

 

[Eddie12109]

a new update! She has laid a normal egg today!
so what I am wondering if I should continue giving her the calcium or should I just give it to her for a few more days.
and also I noticed my other hens have calcium deposits on their eggs right after I started giving them the oyster shell... does that have anything to do with the OS and is it alright if they have them on their eggs?
i attached a picture of her egg!

 

[azygous]

No need to continue the calcium supplement after a normal egg appears. Calcium deposits on the eggs indicate a bit too much calcium in a hen's system. It's nothing to worry about, though. She'll use up the extra in a day or so.

As long as you don't try to force calcium on a hen by mixing oyster shell in her food, she will eat as much of the oyster shell from a free choice dispenser as she needs it.

 

[Eddie12109]

Well, my hen is at it again.
Tonight she decided to have another soft shell egg. I attached a picture.
I already gave her some calcium but I’m wondering if I need to start with amoxicillin. The egg had some yolk coming out of it.

 

[azygous]

It would appear the egg made it out of your hen before the yolk began to leak. Hold off on the amoxy for now, but if the hen begins to have a discharge and she behaves sickly, then maybe it would be a good idea.

Look for a second egg right behind this one. That's another reason for the calcium, improving contractions to get another egg out or any egg remaining inside. I would continue the calcium until this hen is laying one egg per cycle and they have good shells.

 

[Eddie12109]

Alright so now this:
She has been acting fine lately. Normal poops too.
I have given her amoxicillin and calcium for about two days now since her last egg problem and she just pooped this out. There is obviously a yolk in there and I’m guessing the other piece is the egg. I am at a loss. Any more recommendations?

 

[Eddie12109]

And I just messed with it and there is the grainy egg shells pieces on it. They aren’t normal egg shell pieces but they are grainy. Should I flush out her insides somehow to get it all out just in case there is some grain still in there. I was already planning on giving her a Epsom salt bath but that won’t get the stuff inside her