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[Robin B]

Hi All

 

we bought three girls a month ago (POL) and they are all laying nicely - too well in fact. We have had several days were we have had for a more eggs - one where we had six! One particular bird (a light sussex) laid at lunchtime on Thursday and then laid two 'rubber' eggs in five minutes in the evening! I am worried about the amount of calcium she is getting. They are kept in the run in the mornings to eat their layers pellets and free ranged in the afternoon. They have access to mixed grit and i have been mixing oyster shell in with their food. We've brought some limestone flour and ordered some zolcal d (sp?). I am worried that if she keeps laying that eggsessively (sorry - couldn't resist it) that she will start leaching calcium from her skeleton. Is it likely that she will settle down?

 

Robin

[hillfamily]

Hi Robin, I've just moved this to the 'Egg' section as you will get more answers to your queries :D

 

Chooks that have just come into lay can lay abnormal eggs for a few weeks whilst they get used to the whole egg laying process. You can add some Limestone Flour to their feed which will increase their calcium intake and can help with shell formation

 

edited to add.....just reread your query and I see you have already bought some Limestone Flour.....I would start by adding that to the feed and see if it helps

[Budgies]

Hi Robin, sorry to hear about your girl. It sounds as though her egg laying tackle is being overstimulated.

 

Calcium IS leached from the bones of a laying hen - on an x-ray her long bones will look more porous and a vet can tell from the x-ray whether she's laying or not.

 

However, you're right to worry about how much this is taking out of her.

 

Just a word of advice - don't give limestone flour AND Zolcal at the same time. Overdoses of calcium can cause intestinal and kidney problems - you don't want that!

 

Mix a little cod liver oil (the vitamin d in it will help her absorbtion of the calcium) into her pellets or meal and add some limestone flour and give it all a good mix.

 

Hope she settles soon.