6 yr old hen with soft-shelled egg

[Winchikn]

Hello BYC friends,

I have a 6-year old Ameraucana/Easter Egger who has been an intermittent layer the last couple of years. She laid a few eggs earlier this spring and nothing for several weeks. Then she laid one nice little egg last week (with a very dark yolk).

Today, I noticed she was terribly thirsty when I got them up, to the point she had water coming back up out of her beak when she was eating. Her crop was soft and squishy this morning but I got a bit of coconut oil into her in case she was backed up somewhere along the line. She had normal energy and appetite all day and was passing poops.

When I went to close my chickens up tonight, I found a very soft-shelled egg under her. I'm sure having passed it will have her feeling better tomorrow. I'm wondering if I should give her a calcium pill?

My flock is on 18% layer pellet and have free choice oyster shells. I also give them a small amount of BOSS.

No other issues with soft-shelled eggs this year (I had some a couple of years ago when I think I had IB go through my flock).

I'm just wondering if supplemental calcium is indicated, or if I should just watch her for a couple of days to see if it was a blip.

Thanks.

 

[LaFleche]

I'm wondering if I should give her a calcium pill?

That's what I would do for 3-5 consecutive days.

In addition to crushed oyster shells, do you provide granite grit free choice?

 

[Winchikn]

That's what I would do for 3-5 consecutive days.

In addition to crushed oyster shells, do you provide granite grit free choice?

Thank you. I'll do the calcium and yes they have free choice grit in addition to the oyster shells.

There was a change in available grit in my part of Canada a couple of years ago - it might not be granite anymore. Does that make a difference?

She's back in the nesting box today so clearly there's some action in her ovaries... hopefully she sorts herself out.

 

[LaFleche]

There was a change in available grit in my part of Canada a couple of years ago - it might not be granite anymore. Does that make a difference?

You would have noticed undigested food in their droppings, so appearantly it seems to work as well.