FINCHforum

I found of my female gouldians not looking good on the aviary floor this morning, actually I thought she was dead at first. After some sugar-water and a few hours in a sick-cage she is at least sitting up with her eyes open. A few minutes ago I found an egg without a shell in there - what does this mean?

Could this egg be the actual problem, or is likely to justb be a consequence of her being stressed and ill? Or does the shell-lessness indicate some nutritional problem?

(My birds always have access to different types of bird seed, insect food, some egg food, grit, calcium, coal, kelp powder....)

I was hoping that someone would of given some advice on this. I have never had it happen but have heard of it happening before. I have no idea why they lay soft eggs. One thing I would do though is not let her breed anymore any time soon. Keep her seperated from the mate and no nestbox.

Soft-shelled eggs can be caused by a lack of calcium. It sounds like you have plenty of calcium in their diet, but there has been a lot of discussion lately about the ability of birds to absorb the calcium they take in. It is thought that they need plenty of D3 in order to use the calcium properly. If they are getting lots of natural sunshine, that is not a problem, but many of our birds don't get enough, and the lights we are using don't provide it. You can give them a vitamin or breeding supplement that has D3 included, or many calcium supplements now add D3.

Thanks for your replies! I will make sure to get my birds an extra D supplement, since I do worry that they won't get enought calcium.

I am also happy to announce that the bird seems very well again, hopping around in her cage looking all normal! It is amazing to see that they can actually go from laying flat on the side barely beeing alive to normal looking in 24 hrs. I consider myself lucky!

I'm glad to hear that the hen was able to push that soft egg out. That takes a lot of work. Yes, you were very lucky to still have her. She must be one strong hen

Sally wrote:Soft-shelled eggs can be caused by a lack of calcium. It sounds like you have plenty of calcium in their diet, but there has been a lot of discussion lately about the ability of birds to absorb the calcium they take in. It is thought that they need plenty of D3 in order to use the calcium properly. If they are getting lots of natural sunshine, that is not a problem, but many of our birds don't get enough, and the lights we are using don't provide it. You can give them a vitamin or breeding supplement that has D3 included, or many calcium supplements now add D3.

Sally, are you sure about that? Isnt calcium absorption in birds related to their potassium or some other metal they need to have in a higher ratio. I think its like a 3 parts potassium for every one part of calcium they get in order to properly absorb the nutrients. (thats why we give them oyster shell cause its high in potassium as well as calcium.. actually the ratio is almost perfect).
As for sunshine, the UV in sunlight converts their preen gland oils that they spread on their feathers while preeing into D3 which in turn gets absorbed into their bodies. I wasnt aware that D3 had anything to do with calcium absorption. I could be wrong but i have never heard any link between D3 and calcium.

I have formed many of my opinions after reading a number of articles written by Robert Black, and I just happen to like what he is saying. I don't know how to link to another site, but if you go to www.ladygoudianfinch.com and look under articles, she has reprinted Mr. Black's article on vitamin D3 and calcium in the cage bird diet.

I haven't read anything about potassium in their diets, so I can't comment on that.