Help- Took to vet and am now confused

[Tracyree]

This morning I noticed a few hens had dirty/poopy butts so I picked them up and looked closely and noticed one had a swollen abdomen. We have a local vet that has chickens and treats chickens, so I took the one with swollen area in and grabbed another with poopy butt, “just in case”. Well the one I grabbed “just in case” had a fever. The vet said their fecals were clear. She said they are both inflamed and prescribed meloxicam and an SMZ suspension (antibiotics) for them both.

Ok, so I’m sure there are several more with poopy butts and I asked her what I need to do (bring them in? Get meds??) and she said hopefully with husbandry modifications, things will resolve. She suggested that they are getting too much calcium (she asked about oyster shell and said to remove it). I leave a bowl of it out all the time. I also give black soldier fly larvae as treats, probably over did that.

So why would calcium cause this?

They are all 9 months old. I did change their food lately and wonder if that triggered this. I have no idea. Need opinions on what’s going on and how to help the rest of the flock. I will switch foods in case that’s the issue and stop soldier fly larvae.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

This morning I noticed a few hens had dirty/poopy butts so I picked them up and looked closely and noticed on had a swollen abdomen. We have a local vet that has chickens and treats chickens, so I took the one with swollen area in and grabbed another with poopy but “just in case”. Well the one I grabbed “just in case” had a fever. The vet said their decals were clear. She said they are both inflamed and prescribed meloxicam and an SMZ suspension (antibiotics) for them both.

Ok, so I’m sure there are several more with poopy butts and I asked her what I need to do (bring them in? Get meds??) and she said hopefully with husbandry modifications, things will resolve. She suggested that they are getting too much calcium (she asked about oyster shell and said to remove it). I leave a bowl of it out all the time. I also give black soldier fly larvae as treats, probably over did that.

So why would calcium cause this?

They are all 9 months old. I did change their food lately and wonder if that triggered this. I have no idea. Need opinions on what’s going on and how to help the rest of the flock. I will switch foods in case that’s the issue and stop soldier fly larvae.

I've seen that too much calcium can cause kidney damage. One symptom is a swollen abdomen.

 

[WingItRanch]

Were you feeding layer feed? Layer feed has a higher volume of calcium and less protein. Maybe with the calcium rich layer feed plus the oyster shell, it was too much?

If so, maybe switching to all flock would be better? Your vet didn't give any advice on the feed, only to remove oyster shell?

 

[Tracyree]

Were you feeding layer feed? Layer feed has a higher volume of calcium and less protein. Maybe with the calcium rich layer feed plus the oyster shell, it was too much?

If so, maybe switching to all flock would be better? Your vet didn't give any advice on the feed, only to remove oyster shell?

Yes, just said to remove oyster shell.

 

[Tracyree]

I've seen that too much calcium can cause kidney damage. One symptom is a swollen abdomen.

I think I’ll try and “all flock” for a bit?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Are they laying? If they are not laying, they do not need to be on a layer formula feed. All-flock is indicated. Having oyster shell available, IMO, is not the problem, the layer feed is. They cannot choose to eat less calcium if it's formulated into the food. If you put them on all-flock, which has no added calcium, then when they begin to lay, they will help themselves to oyster shell if it is available.

 

[WingItRanch]

If it were me I'd change to a higher protein all flock feed and not ever change back.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Layer feed was originally created by a guy who wanted to get his chickens to lay every day of the year. It is designed to maximize egg production, but a chickens body was never designed to be force fed calcium. Instead their bodies are designed to crave calcium when they need it. This is why I only feed 20% all flock with oyster shells on the side. Your oyster shells are not the problem the layer feed is the problem. Keep the oyster shells, ditch the layer feed and allow your chickens to eat the calcium they need when they need it.

 

[Tracyree]

I got the 20% all flock feed and took the layer pellets out. I sure hope this does the trick. Thought I was doing the right think feeding them layer when they came of age. Hate that my mistake has hurt them.

 

[WingItRanch]

I got the 20% all flock feed and took the layer pellets out. I sure hope this does the trick. Thought I was doing the right think feeding them layer when they came of age. Hate that my mistake has hurt them.

Don't beat yourself up! It's very confusing at first and feed stores don't really help. That's one reason to join BYC, advice from people who've made plenty of mistakes but have learned from them and want to pass on the knowledge. I'm new to chicken raising myself and have made plenty of mistakes. I don't think layer feed is a mistake, exactly. Plenty of people use layer and haven't had noticeable issues.

I think it's admirable that your so attentive to your animals!