Alright Ducks laying Soft eggs.

[Tripp16]

Ok so last week while I was gone my two ducks started laying! I was excited to see the two little eggs sitting in a dirty little straw nest. Well yesterday I found a soft shelled egg. Didnt think much of it, until today I found 2 more!! Its like their laying them before the shell gets on....

I switched them to layer feed which I feed my hens. Do they need something different? Thanks in advance!

 

[Amiga]

When did you switch them? Before or after soft eggs?

We get some fairly regularly, and my guess based on observation is that egg laying systems get tired and the duck needs a reset by going broody and molting. But that is not what you are getting, I think.

Yours are early, and there may be a number of softies especially if the young ducks are playing hop on top. With my flock eggs seemed to pop out early when they did that, when they were just starting to lay.

Layer ration, free choice oyster shell, some oyster shell in their drinking water, and some sprinkled on top of their food pan are what I use, and that has reduced the soft shelled egg occurrence. I also let mine go broody if they wish.

 

[LizzieJ]

Oyster shell is definately the answer here, from everything i have read (and its alot!) soft shells can be solved by providing broken up oyster shells for the chooks, it gives extra calcium and encourages stronger shell production.

 

[LizzieJ]

I should mention chooks and ducks lol!

 

[Tripp16]

Thanks guys. I am going to see if I can get them to go broody as soon as it cools down. Plus their to young. Maybe before it starts getting cold. We`ll see.

I will get them soem oyster shell and see how it goes. Thanks again!