Do you think my duck is egg bound?

[DuckyDonna]

Right! I looked and looked and couldn't find it. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about it this time. She's continued to be fine. But I've found a few other soft shell eggs since, including one today. But I also got 3 eggs today, including the soft one, so that means all 3 of my ducks are laying. I'm guessing they are each laying soft eggs because its the beginning of the season. IDK. I've had soft shell eggs before, but I don't recall it being clumped at the beginning of the season like this. I've put out oyster shell for them, but I'd been putting it in their food. There is plenty laying around, so I don't know if they simply choose not to eat it or what. And since I put it in a bowl, which is getting eaten slowly, I wonder if its just going to take a while.

Good suggestion on they dye. If I can ever find a vent when need-be.

Did you have help holding her down to look for the vent? It took me a lot of digging to find my girl's. I thought I'd never find it but she was being still and not making a fuss so I just kept at it. I have never been able to "feel" for an egg on my girls but I've never had to stick my finger in the vent either. When they've been egg bound that calcium gluconate works like a charm.

Have you tried crushing up calcium citrate pills and giving it to them? You may want to try that which should help with getting the shells hard. I have always had oyster shells out for my girls but yet sometimes I get soft shells too. Since 6 of mine have not really stopped laying since they began their shells are getting much thinner now. The 2 young ones's shells are nice and thick though. I really need to start doing the calcium citrate myself.

 

[416bigbore]

One of my Runners did this a couple years ago. I noticed she wasn’t hanging with her flock off to herself, she just didn’t look right this went on most of the morning. By noon I walked out to pick her up because she had stayed in the same place for hours when I walked up to her she jumped up and there was a huge soft shell egg laying there. After that she was back to normal . Poor things must really struggle with them. I’d never be with out calcium gluconate though. It’s a must have for all of us to have on hand when we have egg layers. That’s so awesome she is back to herself an feeling good!

I know this is an older post, we have a duck who is starting to show the beginning signs of possibly being egg bound?

Miss Piggy and her sister Porky are our two little Mallard hens who have both been pretty consistent with laying a egg each day. Miss Piggy has not layer her egg in two days now and is starting to act very different from her normal active self.

She is still eating and drinking and seems to be spending a little extra time in the pool then normal. She moves around much slower then normal and seems to have a wider then normal waddle to her walk. I am guessing egg bound?

I want to start giving her Calcium Gluconate, 1 ml. orally as recommended each day until the egg passes. I just wanted to make sure this is the right stuff from TSC ? If so, how does a person store the extra Calcium Gluconate left in the bottle for future use?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/durvet-calcium-gluconate-500-ml###

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes and you want to give her 1 ml orally. @DuckyDonna has experience with this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/safely-administering-oral-medications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/calcium-gluconate-for-egg-bound-ducks-preliminary.959537/

 

[Miss Lydia]

Usually once you give the cal glu they pass the egg by next day. Hopefully your little one will.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I know this is an older post, we have a duck who is starting to show the beginning signs of possibly being egg bound?

Miss Piggy and her sister Porky are our two little Mallard hens who have both been pretty consistent with laying a egg each day. Miss Piggy has not layer her egg in two days now and is starting to act very different from her normal active self.

She is still eating and drinking and seems to be spending a little extra time in the pool then normal. She moves around much slower then normal and seems to have a wider then normal waddle to her walk. I am guessing egg bound?

I want to start giving her Calcium Gluconate, 1 ml. orally as recommended each day until the egg passes. I just wanted to make sure this is the right stuff from TSC ? If so, how does a person store the extra Calcium Gluconate left in the bottle for future use?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/durvet-calcium-gluconate-500-ml###

Yup, thats the right stuff. I always store mine in the fridge after opening it. I've heard it can get moldy if you don't.

I've given this a lot with one of my older runner girls. I notice something is not right when they don't move much. Then they have a weird stance with their neck in almost an "S" and can barely move having to use their wings to get from one place to another.

After 1 dose of Calcium gluconate she was fine. I did give her a bath in warm water first and I did dye her vent with blue food coloring so I could tell if any of the eggs were hers. They were but I learned that you don't do that and let them go into the pool afterward.

Do you know how to give the meds orally using a syringe? I can help you with that also as I've done it a ton and have a good routine down when it's time. It's important not to get it down her trachea so make sure you aim for the RIGHT side of the DUCK'S mouth. Let me know if I can help.

 

[416bigbore]

Thank you so much both of you @Miss Lydia and @DuckyDonna. I been watching the different videos on how to administer orally and should be fine in doing so. Thank you.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thank you so much both of you @Miss Lydia and @DuckyDonna. I been watching the different videos on how to administer orally and should be fine in doing so. Thank you.

I know you didn't ask but I'm going to tell you how I do it anyway which hopefully will make it easier for both you and your girl.

I get a chair, catch the duck and wrap a towel around her so her wings can't flap.

Sit in the chair holding the duck with my left arm very close to my body. I try to get her calmed down from the drama of having me pick her up. Talk sweetly to her.

I take my left hand and use my index fingernail and thumbnail to open her mouth. Her head should be pretty stable because of the way you're holding her.

She will squirm but at this point aim that syringe down the right side of her mouth and squirt. It's over in about 2 seconds and hopefully, you'll have an egg in the morning.

 

[416bigbore]

Hello @DuckyDonna, all went fine tonight giving Miss piggy her dose of Calcium Gluconate orally thank goodness poor little thing. I sure hope she will be fine by morning.

Thanks for the info on how you go about handling your Ducks when working with them. Unfortunately it's a two person job when it comes to working with our squirmish ducks. They are friendly and will eat out of our hands and everything, they just don't like being held and messed with. As soon as we let them down they rush over to the pool and jump in to wash the human off of them. LOL

I have our flock on a healthy diet and have oyster shells available also. I sure hope this don't turn into a reoccurring issue. Thank you once again for your help.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Hello @DuckyDonna, all went fine tonight giving Miss piggy her dose of Calcium Gluconate orally thank goodness poor little thing. I sure hope she will be fine by morning.

Thanks for the info on how you go about handling your Ducks when working with them. Unfortunately it's a two person job when it comes to working with our squirmish ducks. They are friendly and will eat out of our hands and everything, they just don't like being held and messed with. As soon as we let them down they rush over to the pool and jump in to wash the human off of them. LOL

I have our flock on a healthy diet and have oyster shells available also. I sure hope this don't turn into a reoccurring issue. Thank you once again for your help.

You're welcome. I had issues with 1 of my girls continually and then suddenly it stopped being a problem. I too have oyster shells and all the right stuff out for them. Just one of those things I guess. Glad you got your girl dosed. Will you be able to tell if she lays tomorrow? I had Eva in with so many others I had to dye her butt to be sure but I was certainly happy when I saw that giant blue egg the next morning!