Thin eggshells, Calcium bumps on eggs, Pale comb

[EmeraldSkye]

Greetings,

We have a 9-month old Easter Egger named Lucille. From the beginning her eggshells have been thin and her eggs usually have the bumpy calcium deposits on them. The shells seem to be getting thinner as time goes by, so much that the eggs are usually broken either when she lays them or when another chicken goes in to lay. Unfortunately, our other Easter Egger is taking advantage of the situation and has discovered that these broken eggs are tasty. Luckily she hasn't generalized this to the strong shelled eggs from the other chickens. Yet. The last couple of Lucille's eggs that she ate she even ate the shell!! We know it's her because we saw yolk on her beak all the way up to her comb.

I also noticed today that Lucille has a pale comb as compared to the other chickens.

I took her to the vet last week and she told me that in infection can cause the consistent thin shells so she put her on an antibiotic for two weeks.

Does anyone think this is the right track or maybe suggest any other issues that are fixable? I know the shell gland could be defective but would that cause the pale comb?

 

[loverofhatching]

I'd suggest to go for vet's advice.

 

[EmeraldSkye]

We are certainly following the vet's advice, but I was wondering if anyone else has heard of an infection as a possible cause of thin-shelled eggs? I haven't read this as a cause anywhere.

 

[loverofhatching]

No Sorry Not heard about or experienced any thing like thin shelled eggs

 

[Suzie]

Do you offer oyster shell to your chickens? If not, it may be an idea to add this to their diet...a small amount of vitamin D3 can be given to the chicken with thin shell eggs.

Do your chickens free range?

 

[EmeraldSkye]

They do have oyster shell. Their layer feed has 3% calcium, plus I added more (1 pound oyster shell for 20 pounds of feed as directed on the label) and there is oyster shell in a hopper in the run for the taking. It seems as I've added calcium the shells have been getting weaker. Just on her. The others have very strong shells. The chickens do not free range in the traditional sense but they have access to my entire 900 square foot garden area and I keep planting forage areas for them so that they always have something green to eat.

This is what I plant for them: http://www.groworganic.com/omega-3-chicken-forage-blend-irrigated.html

I'm happy to add Vitamin D3 - I'd love to find a product that has this for chickens so that I know I"m giving the right amount. I read elsewhere on this forum that someone gave kefir to a chicken that laid thin shells and they gradually improved so I'll try that too.

I'll also start adding ACV to the water.

A little more elaboration: I took a different chicken (Bella) to the same vet (an avian vet) because her abdomen was swollen and she was panting, and her eggs are very small. She suspects a reproductive system infection causing the fluid build-up and the crowded belly which causes the panting. She was put on antibiotics for two weeks. While I was there I mentioned Lucille's thin shelled eggs and off hand she said "she may have an infection too causing the thin shells". Without even seeing the chicken. When I returned with Bella last week for a re-check I took Lucille too. She barely looked her over and prescribed her antibiotics. Bella is back on them too because her condition has not improved. But her comb is bright red.

So, anyway, since she basically decided Lucille needed antibiotics without ever seeing her, I feel it was mostly a guess (and one we are willing to try) but since we are guessing I thought I'd ask you all to come up with some more, based on experience.

 

[Suzie]

You should be able to buy calcium D3 from a pharmacy...comes in both tablet and powder form, it should be easy to give her some individually if you have the powder form, a syringe (without needle) can be used to dose her..mix a small amount with water and drip some onto her beak...she should drink it naturally.

Some chickens are prone to laying soft shelled eggs and thin eggs despite being fed all the recommended feed...as you will be aware there is a risk that she could lay eggs that will break inside her if she continues to lay thin shells....I hope others here can offer more suggestions.

Incidentally when did you last treat them for de-worming and mites/lice possibilities?

 

[EmeraldSkye]

Yes, what I'm afraid of most is that she could break one inside of her and cause bigger problems. The pale comb is also a sign that there's something not quite right. I gave them all some kefir today and they loved it. I also put ACV in the water. As for worming, they haven't had that yet, though I suppose that *could* be her problem, if she has worms and they are robbing her of nutrients. I have an appointment to go back to the vet on Wednesday and I"ll ask her about worming and see if it can be done along with the antibiotic she is getting. When both chickens were in the vet she looked them over for mites/lice and didn't see any.

I have some Citracal here which has D3. I can crush one of those up into powder with my mortar and pestle and mix it with water, or even with the kefir to get her to take some. I also have some Vitamin D3 in capsules that I take but they are strong - 2000 IU per capsule. But I can break one of those and get the D3 to her. I just don't want to give her too much D3.

 

[Suzie]

I would certainly get her treated for de-worming and use Sevin or Permethryn as a precaution against mites (as they can be in the coop and feed on the chickens at night), the coop will need to be treated and nesting boxes along with changing bedding, both treatments (worm and parasites) should be re-treated in the near future too...worming 14 days after the first dose and mites 7-10 days after the first treatment.

Keep us informed on her progress....good luck!

 

[subhanalah]

I would certainly get her treated for de-worming and use Sevin or Permethryn as a precaution against mites (as they can be in the coop and feed on the chickens at night), the coop will need to be treated and nesting boxes along with changing bedding, both treatments (worm and parasites) should be re-treated in the near future too...worming 14 days after the first dose and mites 7-10 days after the first treatment.

Keep us informed on her progress....good luck!

I agree, perhaps the parasite load has weakened the chicken's system against other infection.