Calcium Gluconate for Egg Bound Ducks - Preliminary

[Miss Lydia]

Hi, do you give them to it in the mounth? In their food? Their water?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/calcium-gluconate-for-egg-bound-ducks-preliminary.959537/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

By mouth

 

[sheenersb]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/calcium-gluconate-for-egg-bound-ducks-preliminary.959537/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

By mouth

@Miss Lydia ,

One of my girls is egg bound I believe. She isn’t separating herself from others but slower moving and I think doing the tail pump as described in other posts. She also kind of “pants” at the same time. She is drinking normally but I want to get on top of this. In addition to the liquid calcium supplement, does a warm Epsom salt bath also help?

 

[Miss Lydia]

No need to add Epsom salt which if she drinks can cause dehydration so just a nice relaxing warm bath may help.
If she still hasn't laid by evening give her another 1ml dose of Cal glu.

 

[sheenersb]

No need to add Epsom salt which if she drinks can cause dehydration so just a nice relaxing warm bath may help.
If she still hasn't laid by evening give her another 1ml dose of Cal glu.

Thank you! She is panting really heavily now. I thought I could feel an egg in her when I first picked her up but couldn’t feel it after I prepped the bath and meds (that took about an hour) and there is no egg to be found. I feel so bad. I tried giving her the calcium and I don’t think she got much if any actually down her throat. When my husband gets home from work we will try again, so one can just focus on administering the meds.

This duck often “clucks” a few times a day since she became an adult, in little spurts. She has always seemed fine but when she did it today and I was watching her it almost looked like she was bearing down and pushing. But nothing came out. She has pooped, just a small amount of green like normal. She is drinking fine. I haven’t seen her eat. But the panting feels worrisome.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure one of you holds her you can wrap her in a towel too this helps to keep her calm. Make sure the cal glu goes down the right hole. Hopefully one or 2 more doses and there will be an egg. If you have to put her back in a warm bath so she will hopefully relax.
One of our members I believe gave her duck 4-5 doses before she laid her egg.

 

[sheenersb]

Be sure one of you holds her you can wrap her in a towel too this helps to keep her calm. Make sure the cal glu goes down the right hole. Hopefully one or 2 more doses and there will be an egg. If you have to put her back in a warm bath so she will hopefully relax.
One of our members I believe gave her duck 4-5 doses before she laid her egg.

Oh you have made me feel so much better about things. We were able to get her a good dose of the calcium this late afternoon and will try again before we put her up tonight. I think giving her the warm baths is just adding significant stress as her panting intensifies immensely when I have her in the tub (it’s placed in their pen to try and keep her calm).

Praying my little girl will be okay through the night and tomorrow as I have to leave home for a few hours.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Waiting for an update

 

[sheenersb]

Waiting for an update

I fear she doesn’t appear any better. We had to go out of town yesterday for most the day and this morning thankfully she is alive but she is still panting/breathing heavy. Her tail does pump a bit but when I picked her up I couldn’t feel anything.

I’ve given her more calcium today and a vitamin supplement as well.

I lifted her into a trough that will be their pool in the spring but is filled with clean water for giving them water during winter. I wanted her alone and without interruption. She seemed to relax into the water after a bit but only ate 3-5 peas out of the many I tossed in. She got out of the water after a good long swim and then was preening herself thank goodness. I worry it may be respiratory and not egg bound. And the heavy breathing is just causing the tail pump.

I don’t have a vet near so I am looking to see if there is anything else I can do for her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you hear anything when she is breathing that might indicate a respiratory issue? sometimes there will be discharge, and eyes will crust over and rattle when breathing. You could try an antibiotic do you have any? I believe TSC carries Tylan you can order Baytril online. And there is fish antibiotics that can be bought online also Chewy is one place I think.

 

[lizo97]

Based on a dose of 100mg/kg and a 23% solution, the dose is as follows:

1 pound duck - 0.2 ml
2 pound duck - 0.4 ml
3 pound duck - 0.6 ml
4 pound duck - 0.8 ml
5 pound duck - 1 ml
6 pound duck - 1.2 ml
7 pound duck - 1.4 ml
8 pound duck - 1.6 ml
9 pound duck - 1.8 ml
10 pound duck - 2 ml

-Kathy

Kathy is this dosing by mouth?