Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[eggalp]

Ive just got back from the Vets with Chalkie, who has had a stuck egg removed. The vet says this is likely to be peritonitis and the prognosis isn't good. This is my third hen to have this happen to her in 12 months, and i can't believe my bad luck, the other two have sadly died. . Chalkie is a pure bred sussex - so i didn't expect this to happen to her, the other two were hybrids. The vet says they need more calcium - they have a big dish of grit in the run at all times and every night they have pellets mash with extra calcium powder stirred in, so i don't know what else i can do - i was actually starting to worry i may be overdosing them on calcium - can this happen?!

I am now worrying that i don't want to feed them on layers pellets anymore - i don't want to 'force' them to lay by feeding them this. I have read a few bits in the past on here about alternative feeds but can't remember what i have read. Does anyone have any ideas what i can feed them eg. cereals etc and where i can buy this stuff?

 

Many thanks for your help

alison

[sparkysmum]

Hi Alison, I'm sorry to hear about Chalkie & your other two. I give my lot Gavro Alphamix which is mixed wheat, maize, peas, oats, millet, spinach seeds buckwheat and lots of other stuff besides. It smells gorgeous & my ladies love it.Howeverit is hugely expensive compared with other feeds & I have to have it sent up from the South So I have carriage costs too. But for the moment it's worth it. I can't say they ever seemed to enjoy their mash or pellets and it's really good to see them tucking into something they enjoy. They look terrific too

[MummyHen]

I googled Gavro Alphamix but nothing came up - can you let me know where you get this product as I'd like to try my fussy girls on this - there not keem on layers

 

thanks

Rachel

[Chucky Mama]

Sorry to hear about Chalkie I think that you can overdo calcium but I am not sure how much you have to give to do so. I am not expert but calcium is often given by injection in animals to makes contractions stronger - can too much make them too strong? - I don't know. I really don't know enough about the subject but thinking it through either it was just coincidence to have 2 chickens with problems which it certainly could be, or there are dietary changes that could help. Tricky but I doubt changing their diet would hurt. I personally would be tempted to reduce or stop the calcium.

[Redwing]

Cod liver oil will help the calcium be absorbed better

 

Grit does not provide calcium, grit is for grinding up food in the gizzard, the shell in some mixed grits is the calcium supply, if your grit has no shell in then it wont provide calcium

 

There is a product called Zocal D which would probably be the nexy step up calcium wise

 

However there is a theory which says that too much calcium can cause as many problems as not enough so none of my birds get any added calcium, layers pellets are carefully balanced to provide everything they need so maybe go back to just layers pellets

 

Garvo Alfamix is a great product if you did want to try something different though

 

Mixing your own feed from straight grains is an option too but you need to have storage for at least 75kg as you need to buy sacks of each grain

[eggalp]

thanks a lot for the suggestions, i will give the Garvo Alfamix a go and hopefully this might help. I have noticed that they eat all of the shells out of the grit tub before the stones so i will be topping this up more regularly too.

[chickyhazel]

Good luck!

[Daphne]

I think you've had tremendously bad luck. However, this is a bit ambiguous, stuck eggs usually means the hen is egg bound and this is not necessarily the same thing as egg peritonitis (egg which gets infected), which can be sterile (sort of treatable) or 'normal' which isn't.

 

If a hen is simply egg bound, the egg can usually be 'delivered' and the hen can often lead a normal life. If its sterile egg peritonitis the hen can sometimes be drained and lead a relatively normal life; if its 'normal' egg peritonitis then the hen, I'm afraid, will usually die. Pure breeds can get egg peritonitis as well as hybrids. I have been told this can be linked to excess treats, so that would be the first thing to check.

 

Redwing is right - you need mixed grit which will supply the grit for grinding and something like oystershell for calcium. If you are using straight grit then do change, asap. I would only add limestone flour or anything else for extra calcium if you know you have a hen with problems absorbing calcium. And then you may also need cod liver oil as well. But if you don't have a problem (often shows with blobs of extra shell on shell), then don't add extra calcium. Its not needed and I have noticed the rest of the 'normal' flock can be put off eating by its very prescence.

 

I honestly don't believe feeding layers pellets brings on egg peritonitis.

[Falkor]

Garvo Alfa