SOFT SHELL FROM 7 MOS OLD PULLUT

[maggieandotis]

Human pills from your local grocery store will work.
I think there are pictures in my album of a few different types.
BRB with links to them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/poultry-products.7428261/page-2

How do you administer?

 

[Kiki]

How do you administer?

You can put it her mouth.
You can put it in a grape.

 

[maggieandotis]

You can put it her mouth.
You can put it in a grape.

Thank you.

 

[Birdie mom]

Unless they are acting sick or they keep laying soft shelled eggs, I don't think you will need to give them anything. Chickens can lay weird eggs for many reasons, some common reasons include:

Injury. Landing wrong when they fly off the roost, can cause hens to lay weird eggs.
stress can cause hens to lay soft shelled eggs sometimes
High egg production. When a hen reaches her top rate of egg production sometimes her system can't keep up, resulting in soft eggs.
Age. I don't think this is your problem but it helps to know all the possible reasons
Weather. hens can lay soft eggs because warm weather. Again I don't think this is your problem but it may help you later
Lack of calcium. The shell is made of calcium so naturally if a hen doesn't get enough then the shell gets soft.

These are all causes I have encountered but here are some diseases I don't know much about that cause soft eggs:

Infectious Bronchitis -common
Avian Influenza -rare
Newcastle disease -rare
Ornithobacteriosis (big word huh?) -rare

I don't know much about these diseases but I have a very reliable book about chicken health that lists them as conditions that cause soft shelled eggs

Anyways, sorry that was so long. Hope it helps!

 

[maggieandotis]

Unless they are acting sick or they keep laying soft shelled eggs, I don't think you will need to give them anything. Chickens can lay weird eggs for many reasons, some common reasons include:

Injury. Landing wrong when they fly off the roost, can cause hens to lay weird eggs.
stress can cause hens to lay soft shelled eggs sometimes
High egg production. When a hen reaches her top rate of egg production sometimes her system can't keep up, resulting in soft eggs.
Age. I don't think this is your problem but it helps to know all the possible reasons
Weather. hens can lay soft eggs because warm weather. Again I don't think this is your problem but it may help you later
Lack of calcium. The shell is made of calcium so naturally if a hen doesn't get enough then the shell gets soft.

These are all causes I have encountered but here are some diseases I don't know much about that cause soft eggs:

Infectious Bronchitis -common
Avian Influenza -rare
Newcastle disease -rare
Ornithobacteriosis (big word huh?) -rare

I don't know much about these diseases but I have a very reliable book about chicken health that lists them as conditions that cause soft shelled eggs

Anyways, sorry that was so long. Hope it helps!

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the detailed reply. How long can soft shell eggs last where it is not a big deal before I should worry? A week of laying them, two weeks? When do you think I should start fretting?

 

[Birdie mom]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the detailed reply. How long can soft shell eggs last where it is not a big deal before I should worry? A week of laying them, two weeks? When do you think I should start fretting?

I'd say give them a week or so, but if any of them start acting weird of sick then you should act sooner rather than later. I also forgot to add that bugs can cause stress which can lead to soft eggs as well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think I have narrowed it down to two hens. I will try to narrow it down to the one gal and give her a calcium tablet and some D3. My question is for this, how? I am new at this... Do they come in drops?

Potentially easier alternative to doing tablets:

If you know exactly which bird is the problem bird, isolate her for a private breakfast. 2-3x a week serve a small bowl (like 1 Tbsp is fine) of wet or fermented feed with oyster shell mixed in. If she does not like chunks of oyster shell, crush it up or use the powdery remnants from bottom of the bag. Should only take her a minute to eat and after that she's free to go.

If it works you should see results in a week or two, and you can try reducing it to 1-2x a week and should hopefully continue getting good results.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I had dry pox in my flock Mid August and so got an enzyme/probiotic that I still mix in with their water which I change out every other day. It is called Hen Boost. https://www.chewy.com/animal-health...KtfauXO5Nu9nMDz35eIfvkDnhddPDQlxoCIiUQAvD_BwE

Stop it and provide fresh water instead.

Essentially sugar, baking soda, and salt are the first 3 ingredients!

That product should be used only in times of need or extra stress. Only on occasion.. and NO supplement should be used more than 10 days in a row without medical supervision.

Many feeds already contain the SAME probiotics touted by this product, if folks would just read the label.

I think I have narrowed it down to two hens.

You might be able to try the lip stick or food coloring put in the vent at night and then when the egg gets laid it's streaked with the offender's specific color.. easy to identify, perhaps.

Avian Influenza -rare
Newcastle disease -rare

Not as rare as you might think.. there was AI identified in at least one flock in the Carolina's last year.. and thousands of southern California back yard flocks were Euthanized over New Castle's outbreak LAST year plus shipping embargo to the area JUST lifted around July.

If you know exactly which bird is the problem bird, isolate her for a private breakfast. 2-3x a week serve a small bowl (like 1 Tbsp is fine) of wet or fermented feed with oyster shell mixed in. If she does not like chunks of oyster shell, crush it up or use the powdery remnants from bottom of the bag. Should only take her a minute to eat and after that she's free to go.

Another alternative to TRY for the shells.. tums.. antacid is sodium bicarbonate.. fast absorbing calcium source.. usually used to support muscle contractions during binding.. if still needed after other methods are tested. I know it's usually slow source needed.. BUT, I'm just brainstorming..

I don't consider those as soft shelled eggs.. just weak shelled. Big difference, to me.. and while annoying and worth looking into.. weak shells are not nearly as alarming as true softees. Hopefully this will resolve quickly though and without issue!

 

[Birdie mom]

Hi @maggieandotis! How is you hen doing? hoping she is doing well

 

[maggieandotis]

Hi @maggieandotis! How is you hen doing? hoping she is doing well

Thanks for checking in! Getting beautiful eggs from all of my girls! Must have just been a little blip in the system!