soft shelled eggs

Chicken Mummy

Hatching
7 Years
May 12, 2012
8
0
7
Hi all from Australia

I have had one lovely hen who has been laying soft shelled eggs on and off for a while. Now another of my hens have joined her. Our vet who is a bird specialist says it's an infection that requires anti biotics. Has anyone else had this problem? Apparently it means the egg goes through the canal too fast due to infection and inflammation and therefore comes out before the shell has fully formed. I would appreciate others feedback before I go down the path of anti biotics and vet bills as my vet is good but charges like a wounded bull.

Thanks
Cacey and the flock :)
 
"charges like a wounded bull"
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I haven't heard that before. Idk? Your vets diagnosis sounds reasonable and I'm no expert but, have you ruled out vitamin D deficient so, they might not be absorbing calcium? Or are they just not eating enough of the oyster shells? If you do a search in Chicken Behavior and Egg Laying and type in "soft shelled eggs" I think I read that adding Apple Cider Vinegar to water? will help
Hi and
welcome-byc.gif
 
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I agree with fried green eggs. My red sexlink hens were laying eggs that were just like balloons full of water. I added oyster shell in with their feed, plus spread the oyster shell out on the dirt floor of their coop. No more water balloons, just nice firm eggs. Sounds like you need a new vet!!!
 
I agree with fried green eggs. My red sexlink hens were laying eggs that were just like balloons full of water. I added oyster shell in with their feed, plus spread the oyster shell out on the dirt floor of their coop. No more water balloons, just nice firm eggs. Sounds like you need a new vet!!!
Now I'm sure the vet is just trying to help and in some instances people would love to have a poultry vet they could call. So, I would keep him but - tell him 'I want to try a more "organic" treatment with diet first and call him back if, it doesn't clear up in a few weeks.' Then he won't try so hard to push his method and knows you will call, when you need him.
 
Hmm, thanks I have tried the oyster shell (they have it available) and it hasn't made a difference. Also apple cider vinegar, and they get vitamin water and organic mash so they shouldn't have a difficiency, plus they free ranging. The vet has told me calcium and soft eggs is an old wivestale and chickens have plenty of calcium stored in their bones for eggs and you would get lots of other symptoms first before the shell would be effected by lack of calcium. Looks like I will try my homeopath first, then the vet as a last resort. He is very good with birds but he hospitalises them and it costs a lot for him to keep them there at his place while he treats them.

Thanks everyone :)
 
Interesting that your vet thinks hens have enough stored calcium in their bones to produce hard egg shells? My vet (raises chickens and ducks) has told me - if hens don't get enough added calcium when they are laying eggs - their bones suffer and get brittle and soft egg shells is the first symptom. Wives-tale? Seems like they are teaching different things at vet schools. Not unusual for different vets to think different things. So, I go with what - I think is the best plan of action and reasonalble.
Good Luck with your hens. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. I hope you can get them laying normal eggs without having to send them to the animal hospital.
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Hello and :welcome

Where abouts in Australia are you? I live in Adelaide. Come check out the Aussies' thread in Where am I, where are you.
We had one chicken who just laid soft shell eggs because that was the way she was. No amount of extra calcium would help her. Anyway, good luck with your problem!

Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have, and enjoy the site. :D
 

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