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mimi5

Ok so now soft shelled eggs?????

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Dear All,

 

Always something!!! I came home last night to find a soft shelled egg laying on the wood chip in the run :shock: So as Florence has been crouching for me (yes I can't believe it as she is still recovering from whatever she had!!!! :? ) my 1st thought was "could it be Florence"? But this morning 2 more in the poo trays of the cube :( I did have a couple of soft shelled eggs a few months back and reckoned it was Molly (2yr old) coming back in to lay :think: , then no more until yesterday. They have been laying well (5 eggs in a day twice last week)

 

I did re-fill the grit pots last night as they were getting low and I couldn't see and oyster shell in them. Will this be something and nothing??????? Tilly and Polly's eggs are fine, they are all fed the same?? :wall:

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Please any advice re-soft shelled eggs!!!!????? Florence continues to recover from her near death illness, but a soft shelled split open egg most days in the poo tray :(:(:( It makes me so sad that she puts her energy in to the eggs and I have to throw them away :cry:

 

Will she ever lay a normal egg again?? Would limestone flour help?? They all have access to oyster shell and grit :D

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A lot of folk swear by limestone flour, though I've never used it. I do use codliver oil. One of my ladies has a bit of an issue with her eggs, and the codliver oil seems to help. It apparently aids the absorbtion of calcium. I'm not sure how much and how often, and have settled for adding a quarter of a teaspoon to their evening mash, every third day. This is for two ladies.

 

I expect someone will give you some more info mimi. I too, would like to know what else to try. I worry about adding stuff that will upset their food ratio/balance too much, or adding something to the food for one, that is not needed by the other.

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I know what you mean about one thing after another! I have a year old chook doing the same thing and, after ruling out old age and needing to be wormed, narrowed it down (with some very good advice!) to either not enough calcium in her diet or a wonky shell gland. I washed out the shells of some eggs I'd used in the kitchen and baked them in the oven until they'd dried - about 10-15 mins. Then I blitzed them in the processor and sprinkled them over the feed with a drizzle of cod liver oil (contains Vitamin D which is needed to absorb the calcium - add enough to turn the feed a bit darker). I did this daily - you should notice a difference in a few days if it is a calcium issue. Some people then feed the crushed egg shells and cod liver oil once a week or so, just to keep the levels topped up. Unfortunately with mine, it turned out to be a shell gland issue but, on the advice of my lovely poultry vet, as the young lady is so perky and otherwise healthy I have done nothing but clear up the soft egg as soon after it has been laid as possible to stop the others eating it and developing a taste for eggs. Hope that helps you? Good luck!

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Thanks to both of you for replying!!! :D I am worried it's her shell gland :( She was very close to death really and I am still amazed she recovered!!!!! This morning the egg didn't even have a membrane :shock: They are all getting through the oyster shell at the mo :? I do add cod liver oil ......but like you suebee not sure how much...how often :( Usually once a week.

 

Will keep you posted! :D

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Can I ask where you get the cod liver oil from? We've looked on the Omlet website & others & can't see an animal product version. Is there an alternative? Is the liquid tonic with seaweed, or the dried seaweed a good alternative?

 

We have one ex-battery hen who has never managed to lay wonderful eggs, but since her moult in Jan this year she has more often than not laid softies, or 'crispy' softies where the shell is just starting to form. Sometimes she eats them, sometimes she doesn't.

 

Our other two girls have no issues, including another ex-batt rescued at the same time. They have access to Oyster Shell Grit as well as added Poultry Tonic, Garlic & Diatom in their food all of the time & Cider Vinegar in their water every two weeks, or so. We worm them every 4 months & Verm - X them once in between. We've just finished a week of 'extra' Flubenvet just in case.

 

We don't want to add any more calcium to the water or feed as this might affect the laying of the other two as I've heard that an excess of calcium can make it hard for the egg to pass out. So a cod liver oil, or similar seems like it might give Doris the boost she needs. So back to my original question - where can I get it? Is there another source of Vitamin D we can use? Thank you.

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