Calcium deficiency, making sure recommended care I got makes sense.

[Navigator73]

I’m pretty new at backyard chckening, and I have a 6 mo old hen that’s been limping for the past couple days, and laid a shelless egg yesterday. I’ve got her inside with her own food with plenty of oyster shells. I talked to folks at the local farm supply store, and they suggested I add calcium gluconate to her water. All they had was this bottle of the 23% that is an injectable for bovine use, but was told can use orally when mixed in water, and to use 1tbs per gallon for chickens. I just want to make sure that makes sense, or did they talk me into buying something that won’t actually help? Just want to get her back up to health. Thanks!

 

[TaylorGlade]

What are you otherwise feeding? As far as shelless goes, it's not terribly unheard of in new layers.

I assume the lamp is caused by a calcium deficiency?

I know that @Eggcessive frequently recommends OTC calcium vitamins for calcium deficiency issues. (like you get from Walmart).

This person is pretty knowledgeable. I'm a little newer at this, too so I'll wait to see.

 

[Navigator73]

I pretty new at backyard chckening, and I have a hen that’s been limping for the past couple days, and laid a shelless egg yesterday. I’ve got her inside with her own food with plenty of oyster shells. I talked to folks at the local farm supply store, and they suggested I add calcium gluconate to her water. All they had was this bottle of the 23% that is an injectable for bovine use, but was told can use orally when mixed in water, and to use 1tbs per gallon for chickens. I just want to make sure that makes sense, or did they talk me into buying something that won’t actually help? Just want to get her back up to health. Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

You can give that (injectable calcium gluconate) orally I ml for a 5 pound chicken. I would give it directly into her beak so that it will work more quickly.

 

[Navigator73]

What are you otherwise feeding? As far as shelless goes, it's not terribly unheard of in new layers.

I assume the lamp is caused by a calcium deficiency?

I know that @Eggcessive frequently recommends OTC calcium vitamins for calcium deficiency issues. (like you get from Walmart).

This person is pretty knowledgeable. I'm a little newer at this, too so I'll wait to see.

We’re using the Purina feed with the oyster shell mix. But maybe this hen is still not getting enough calcium from it.

The thing I’m worried about with the recommendations I’ve gotten so far is about giving her calcium gluconate injectable as an oral. I was told it was ok, but I’m starting to wonder if that was correct advice. The idea of giving an injectable supplement orally sounds counterintuitive. I just don’t want to be giving her something that could make things worse.

 

[Navigator73]

You can give that (injectable calcium gluconate) orally I ml for a 5 pound chicken. I would give it directly into her beak so that it will work more quickly.

Thank you!! I felt it kinda odd at first to give an injectable orally, but I’m glad to hear I can. But I had mixed it in her water. I can give it her directly as well. I have a syringe I can use.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is Purina layer feed right? If she is getting the calcium and she still is not laying hard shells, then she may have a problem with her oviduct and she’ll gland. I would use human calcium citrate tablets with D3. You can give one of those daily for a week. They will swallow it if placed in the back of the beak.

 

[Navigator73]

That is Purina layer feed right? If she is getting the calcium and she still is not laying hard shells, then she may have a problem with her oviduct and she’ll gland. I would use human calcium citrate tablets with D3. You can give one of those daily for a week. They will swallow it if placed in the back of the beak.

I will try that. She’s also limping around too. I’ve read that the legs are the first place calcium gets drawn when they are deficient. The shelless egg happened after the limping started. Someone has been laying really large eggs, and I suspect it’s her. My understanding that it takes time for new egg layers to start making larger eggs, and they only started laying about maybe 6 weeks ago now. Not sure if that’s enough time, but I’d image the one laying them is burning thru their calcium. Like I said, I’m pretty sure it’s this one that’s laying the huge eggs.

 

[Navigator73]

That is Purina layer feed right? If she is getting the calcium and she still is not laying hard shells, then she may have a problem with her oviduct and she’ll gland. I would use human calcium citrate tablets with D3. You can give one of those daily for a week. They will swallow it if placed in the back of the beak.

Also, is there a certain dose I should use? I’m seeing options like 650mg and 1000mg. Don’t want to give her too much and make things worse.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can use 300mg of the calcium citrate. If you have 600 mg of calcium that is okay to use as well. There was some discussion her recently because many thought that 600 mg was the dosage, but some found out that the tablets may only have 300 mg. I think Azygous realized that was enough. The calcium I have is 600 mg per tablet, but it is not citrate.