Duck hen riding low.

[cheezenkwackers]

View attachment 1335272 My three girls have always been about the same size. In the last couple of days I have noticed that Dip (the hen in the front) is riding really low. Her belly is almost touching the ground. Her belly feels swollen to the touch but no hard egg shapes. Either her or the other hen in the picture (Chip) is not laying normal eggs, only small, shellless, fairy eggs. I have been giving them calcium citrate for weeks. They are currently eating duck layer feed and have calcium carbonate grit. Any ideas?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I’m not too sure. I can’t view the image.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

@Miss Lydia

 

[cheezenkwackers]

The picture is there until I post?? Trying again!

 

[chickens really]

All Hens get bottom heavy once they mature..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very true, but something must be going on if they aren't laying normal eggs.

Could be a malfunction in her laying equipment just very hard to know what is going on.

Anything change there recently? add a new duck or drake?
Sounds like your giving her good feed and supplementation of calcium.
How long have they been laying and have they always laid egg like the one you described?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Nothing new (accept the two boys hormones are higher which could be stressing them). I have three girls who are 1 1/2 to 2 years old. They all were laying pretty well last summer although one was rather on again off again. She would lay for two weeks and then not for a week. The feed store stopped carrying the duck breeder I was feeding them last fall. I switched to mixing game bird and layer feed, then things went bad during the winter. My oldest female started laying thin, shelled eggs. Another girl started laying rubber eggs, and the third started laying inconsistently. I posted on here and Calcium Citrate was recommended. I also found I could order the duck layer pellets. It has been over a month and a half since then. The duck laying thin shelled eggs is laying better eggs, but still thinner than normal. One girl is laying great eggs and I was able to hatch six of them. The third girl started laying the tiny, rubber eggs. The duck who is hanging low in the picture is either the second or third duck. The two girls always hang together so I am not sure which is which.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is some info on reason for egg abnormalities maybe you can glean something from it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/