[Chuckles]

Help!!!  Advice needed....

My little silkie (flo) is laying soft shelled eggs and I'm worried as I've heard it takes a lot out of them and I'm not sure what to do!  I've been keepin a close eye on her for the last couple of weeks and I'm sure they are caused by a lack of calcium.  I feed them layers pellets but she doesn't seem to be eating them, they also have access to oyster shell which again she doesn't bother with.  What can I do to get her to at least eat the layers pellets...

[Vember]

What else to you feed your girls Chuckles?

Might be an idea to stop all treats even corn and just feed the pellets

Also adding some limestone flour to the food(once she's eating it) will help give her some extra calcium


Sarah

[Chuckles]

I've tried to stop all their treats but it didn't help - she still wouldn't eat the layers pellets!!!    She's always been a picky eater, never really bothered with other treats apart from mixed corn which they only have a little of late afternoon.  They have savoy cabbages, cauliflowers and brocolli hung up...but she rarely takes an interest in these! 

[raeburg]

You could try some liquid calcium in their drinking water.  Sold as Calcivet.  My silkies aren't very keen on pellets, preferring to free range in the garden all day.

[andreadon]

maybe you could try her on mash instead?
it's the same formula as pellets, but it might be easier for her to pick up and eat.

other than that you could put nothing in but the chicken food- when she's hungry enough  she'll start eating!

[Chuckles]

Thanks all for the advice...I'm definately going to give the liquid calcium a go in the water and I've got 2 hanging feeders so I'm going to have one with pellets and the others with mash.....I'm sure they'll let me know which they prefer!  And fingers and toes crossed I can get flo eating again.....and no more soft shelled eggs  The other chucks might not be to impressed.... they've been enjoying her egg if they get to it before me...little *!!!   

[pushrod]

How old is she? It is often older birds or the first few eggs of a young bird that are soft.
Crushed old egg shells are not a brilliant source of calcium but it does help and there is usually no problem getting them to eat it.

[Chuckles]

Shes only about 10 months old - she had a go at laying last year but only laid for a fortnight, then went broody - typical silkie!!! It was only the first egg she laid that was soft the others were fine.   

Do I need to bake the eggs shells first??? 

[raeburg]

Baking them makes them taste less like eggs   Silkies are contrary birds, but adorable.  I've come to the conclusion that Bramble just doesn't do egg laying, although we have had 2 with thin shells but whole this week.  Bracken lays 12 eggs and then goes broody for 3 weeks!

[pushrod]

Do I need to bake the eggs shells first??? 

no, just crush them in your hands.