Thin shelled eggs

[Sally PB]

I assume we need to use the gel type food coloring, yes?

Yes. Sorry, forgot to mention that. Thank you for bringing it up.

 

[coach723]

I have also had a couple of birds laying thin shelled eggs. I don't know if it's molt (some of mine have started), heat, something is different in the feed I'm buying, just luck of the draw......who knows. I don't give greens, they only get what they find on their own. I have another bird that I'm fairly certain has a shell gland malfunction, but the other two are a mystery. I did supplement calcium for both of them, one is laying normally again, the other has improved, but they are still thinner than they should be. My bird with the shell gland issue was purchased, and of the other two one was hatched here and one was purchased. I have plenty of calcium available all the time in three separate feeders, in addition to their feed feeders. Sometimes it's really a mystery.

 

[richardeblack]

Age could be a contributor. Sometimes shell glands malfunction. Having said that, the only way to know if it's simply calcium deficiency, is to supplement it. It could be calcium and either they are not absorbing it as well as they used to, or something in the diet may be affecting absorption (some greens are high in oxalate and interfere with calcium absorption). You could try crating one bird at a time, in the run with the others, til she lays. See what her egg looks like. Then you can treat that one with calcium to see if it helps. And just work through them that way. If they look too much alike to be sure (once they are out of the crate), you can use colored zip ties to band their legs so you know who is who. I band like that when ever I have a question about a particular bird having something going on, so I can easily recognize them, some of my birds are pretty hard to tell apart.

Thank you Coach723
I don't feed them any extra greens as they are free ranging at the moment. Unfortunately I don't have a crate and they would go bonkers if I kept them shut up in a crate.
i am down to two brown hens now as one died the other day (heart gave out. she has had ascites for some time so just a matter of time). I am fairly certain which one is still laying so when I come back from holiday, next Saturday, I will try and start her on some sort of supplement.
I am also thinking of worming them as well, as I have never wormed them. They seem very healthy though. Not sure what the indicators for worms are.
I was thinking of getting some Heygates layer pellets with flubenvet but it says it only has a short shelf life and has to be used quickly. The smallest bag seems to be 5kg which would not get used before it expired.
What other easy options are there for free ranging hens? Might worms cause thin shells?
Thank you,
Richard

 

[Perris]

Hi Richard; sorry to hear you lost another one. Here are my thoughts fwiw

I am also thinking of worming them as well, as I have never wormed them. They seem very healthy though.

I would not worm unless you know they have worms, and moreover you know which worms (different types respond to different treatments).

Might worms cause thin shells?

No, worms don't cause thin shells.

Mycoplasma synoviae can cause thin shells. It is very common and there isn't really any treatment. You might find this website useful; part 1 for mycoplasmosis and part 4 for worms
https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/poultry/

 

[Bawkbok]

Hi Richard; sorry to hear you lost another one. Here are my thoughts fwiw

I would not worm unless you know they have worms, and moreover you know which worms (different types respond to different treatments).

No, worms don't cause thin shells.

Mycoplasma synoviae can cause thin shells. It is very common and there isn't really any treatment. You might find this website useful; part 1 for mycoplasmosis and part 4 for worms
https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/poultry/

I found this link very helpful. Thank you for sharing it. I have a follow up question, please:

The chickens are healthy and are not exhibiting any signs of Mycoplasma so perhaps I'm being overly cautious.

How much zinc is released using aluminum waterers?

From the article: Cider vinegar (10ml:500ml, plastic drinker only to avoid zinc toxicity) helps strengthen the immune system and keeps drinkers cleaner.

Is the zinc constantly leached? We clean the waterer every night with soap and water. We never put ACV in the aluminum, don't use it at all anyway. Wondering if we should be concerned enough to switch back to a plastic waterer? We don't use plastic during the hot summer months due to chemicals released from plastic. This is a very humid environment and mold grows quickly. It's difficult to find the perfect water vessel for this climate.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Perris]

How much zinc is released using aluminum waterers?

I have no idea.

We don't use plastic during the hot summer months due to chemicals released from plastic. This is a very humid environment and mold grows quickly. It's difficult to find the perfect water vessel for this climate.
Thanks for your input.

Have you tried glazed ceramic? Or a strong glass like Pyrex? A largish, simple open flat-bottomed bowl or dish made of those materials is typically heavy enough not to be upset by a bird standing on the edge.