Soft shells, extra calcium, how to know why?

[JukeboxJenny]

I’ve read a few things on here about this but I’m hoping for some specific insight.

I have a barred rock that is a few years old...? She was given to me a year and a half ago but she was already laying for quite some time so that’s a guess.

She’s recently started laying soft eggs. Either no she’ll or just really soft. I’ve found maybe 5 in that last couple weeks.

She also has had some poop stuck on her tail feathers. She had that issue when we got her and we cleaned her up and she was fine until a couple months ago and now it seems ongoing.

She gets later pellets with oysters shells on the side like the rest of my ladies.

Is she just getting to the end of laying? Or should I be medicating her? Or just letting it play out? Ive read so many different things and don’t know how to proceed.

Oh and she seems totally “normal” behavior wise. Nothing out of the norm. Ornery and bossy as all get out. Lol!

 

[rosemarythyme]

If she really is older, she may have issues processing calcium as easily as a younger bird would, so her eggs might tend towards being "off."

Do you know for sure that she's eating the oyster shell? You could try isolating her and giving her a private breakfast a couple times a week to ensure she'd actually eating some.

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 minutes to eat and after that she's free to go.

Assuming her issue is simply insufficient calcium intake, 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. If you still have the same issue, then you might need to try pills of calcium citrate instead for a faster, bigger calcium boost.

 

[JukeboxJenny]

If she really is older, she may have issues processing calcium as easily as a younger bird would, so her eggs might tend towards being "off."

Do you know for sure that she's eating the oyster shell? You could try isolating her and giving her a private breakfast a couple times a week to ensure she'd actually eating some.

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 minutes to eat and after that she's free to go.

Assuming her issue is simply insufficient calcium intake, 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. If you still have the same issue, then you might need to try pills of calcium citrate instead for a faster, bigger calcium boost.

I really appreciate this reply! I’ll try that! I have it out but I guess it’s possible she’s not eating it. Thanks!