Here's a cut & paste of the post I was refering to from this thread "Persistent soft eggs" also worth a read,
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=78909.msg887911#msg887911"Alas the stock answer to all such problems to supplement calcium is as often as not ineffective. From what you have told us your hen shouldn't be short of calcium as her diet sounds fine, she isn't too old and you have been adding extra calcium and vit D3 anyway. More likely there's some other problem which is causing her to not absorb the calcium or deposite it. If you've given the calcium supplement a fair trial I doubt there's anything to be gained by continuing it beyond two weeks. Increasing calcium over a prolonged period will put stress on the kidneys and could cause other complications. In any case I would prefer to feed a larger particle size calcium supplement which is retained in the gizzard over protracted periods and greatly aid absorption rather than limestone flour which is quickly flushed through the digestive system. particle size needs to be greater than 1mm ideally. You could try feeding crushed oystershell in the feed not adlib in preference to limestone flour.
Is she being fed a good quality layers pellet? Try changing brand if you are unsure. A&P Spillers, BOCM, Dobson & HorralL, Fancy Feeds Marriages and many other major brands with 3.5% calcium should be fine
Has she moulted after her first year of laying. Sometimes they renew their laying vigour after a moult. If she hasn't one possibility would be to induce a moult though it can be quite hard on them. To do this you need to deprive her of any food for 36hrs or so. Induced moults should not be done without proper precautions and I've never done it but you can try googling to find out a safe procedure.
Other reasons for soft eggs are damage to the internal reproductive organs caused by infections which they may have caught as chicks or growers. Infectious Bronchitis is a disease which often affects older birds laying performance causing mishaped eggs and poor shell quality. Egg Drop Syndrome and genetic factors can also cause this. A vet may prescribe an antibiotic if an internal infection is suspected. I've had some limited success using Baytril.
Before you try anything more drastic like induced moult you could try increasing hydration by adding an electrolyte to her water for a couple of weeks, cutting out all treat feeds and adding a multivit to her water for a further two weeks. Keep excitment down in the afternoon ie don't treat feed.
It may improve on it's own accord though curing it entirely maybe overly optimistic.
A useful electrolyte can be made as follows;
Dissolve in 3 litres of water
5 ml of Salt substitute, (1 teaspoon of potassium chlorite)
7.5 ml (1 and a half teaspoons) of Bicarbarbonate of soda (baking soda)
15 ml (3 teaspoons) salt
Use for 7 - 14 days
A summary of causes of thin or shell less eggs is listed below:
1. Inheritance influences porosity and ability to produce strong shells
2. Lack of sufficient calcium, phosphorus, manganese or vitamin D3
3. Vitamin D2 mistakenly substituted for D3
4. Excess phosphorus consumption, especially by older hens
5. Ingestion of sulfanilamide (sulfa drugs)
6. Disease: Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, Egg Drop Syndrome 76
7. Hens exposed to temperature over 85-90°F
8. Age of hens: incidence higher with older hens
9. Premature laying of the egg"
PS if you have just been adding calcium without extra Vit D3 add a table spoon of cod liver oil per two kg of feed or so as it's needed for calcium absorption.
Best of luck
HF
Similar Topics
June 19, 2007, 09:28