Still laying soft shells!

[ANiceKaren]

Hi friends! My chicken recently started laying! Yay! It’s been so fun and exciting! However, two weeks into laying and every morning I am still find a broken, soft shell egg that I can’t use! She is eating starter crumbles mixed with starter mash only because I have 3 other non-laying pullets as well. I have given her meal worms, treats, like fruits and veggies and yogurt... also I have oyster shells available for her to have as well. Any suggestions.. will this get better on it’s own because she is young? I appreciate you all!

 

[azygous]

Try giving her one people calcium tablet each day for two or three days. The concentrated calcium should kick start that shell gland of hers.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Try giving her one people calcium tablet each day for two or three days. The concentrated calcium should kick start that shell gland of hers.

Any tips on how to give a chicken a pill?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Any tips on how to give a chicken a pill?

Pick her up, open her mouth, drop it in. Maybe crush it and squirt it in with water?

 

[azygous]

Here's my tutorial on why chickens have an easier time swallowing a bulky pill than humans do.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Here's my tutorial on why chickens have an easier time swallowing a bulky pill than humans do.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

This is so awesome! I literally was just wondering how my chickens don’t choke on some things!! Perfect timing for this response! I’ll try the calcium pill too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you don't want to pick up calcium tablets, you can also crush up some oyster shell and mix it in with a bit of wet feed to disguise it, and then isolate her and give her a private breakfast 2-3x a week for starters. Some chickens will not voluntarily eat oyster shell even if they need it.

 

[aart]

If you don't want to pick up calcium tablets, you can also crush up some oyster shell and mix it in with a bit of wet feed to disguise it, and then isolate her and give her a private breakfast 2-3x a week for starters. Some chickens will not voluntarily eat oyster shell even if they need it.

This^^^ much easier than trying to pill a bird(for most of us).
I would also sprinkle a few pieces of OS on top of this.

I have given her meal worms, treats, like fruits and veggies and yogurt..

I'd cut out all the extras and treats.

 

[Sahraschweiss]

Here's my tutorial on why chickens have an easier time swallowing a bulky pill than humans do.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

I was just thinking that my if chickens can eat rocks (grit), then they can swallow a tum's.

 

[aart]

I was just thinking that my if chickens can eat rocks (grit), then they can swallow a tum's.

They can, but will they.
Have gotten birds to eat chunks of calcium pills, at first, then they just chuck them.
I've found it far easier to crush them into something they will gobble down.
Different strokes.