duck laying soft shelled/stuggling to lay

[MatildaDuck]

I am looking for some advice on the diet and supplements of my 3 ducks and 3 chickens and if there is anything which could be affecting the egg lay of my ducks or if there is something missing. I have 2 Khaki campbells 1 indian runner and 3 chickens who all live together and all lay eggs. I give them layers chicken pellets with corn and oyster shell mixed together as their basic food. They then have a variation of greenery - spinach, tomatos, lettuce, fresh greens, kale, blueberries, sweetcorn. I give them a handful of mealworms. The ducks also have a small handful of duck water pellets. They get fruit pecking blocks and the natures grub treat mix garlic and fruit options. I put brewers yeast in the water for the ducks and then apple cider vinegar twice a week. The runner duck has had to have an implant as she was laying too many eggs and cause issues. I now have one of the Khaki campbells who is struggling to pass eggs and laying soft shelled and not fully formed eggs. Is it too little calcium or too much calcium? The vets say they have a a good diet but there must be something wrong. I have read online that an all-flock feed and calcium supplements is good but there are so many different things. Please could someone advise as I just want happy healthy birds. Thank you

 

[nuthatched]

I'd recommend you cut-out the corn completely, it's not good for them and not needed.
They do not need any grains with their feed. It dilutes the nutrition as a filler.
How often do they get all the veggies and extras? They are likely getting too many treats.

Spinach, kale and other dark greens can block calcium absorption if they get too much, so can vinegar though they're likely not getting that much.
Edit spelling

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I am looking for some advice on the diet and supplements of my 3 ducks and 3 chickens and if there is anything which could be affecting the egg lay of my ducks or if there is something missing. I have 2 Khaki campbells 1 indian runner and 3 chickens who all live together and all lay eggs.

How old are your ducks?

Do they freerange during the days?
(Do they have access to grass?)

Do they have access to a pool or a pond to swim in...?

Do they have an unlimited access to their food - including at night?

And have their and the chickens' behaviour changed?
(Do there are fights, maybe...?)

I give them layers chicken pellets with corn and oyster shell mixed together as their basic food.

• FIRST :

I really recommend you to STOP feeding corn to your ducks : too much corn could make them overweight, and can cause diverse health issues - some of them possibly eventually fatal...

I don't mean you have to totally get rid of corn - a small amount will not kill your ducks...!
But for the time being, you should probably replace it entirely with another food (such as wheat)...

• NEXT :

DO NOT directly mix grit with your birds' food.

They have to be able to select by themselves the amount of grit they need to consume, and by mixing it with their food, you actually prevent them to do so...

Instead, you would do good by just :
• distributing Oyster Shell grit in an individual feeder for your ducks;
• sprinkle Oyster Shell grit on the ground for your chickens.

• THEN :

EVEN IF your ducks and your chickens live together and eat the same food, it would be great if you could use two separate feeders :
• one feeder in which you would put a mix of : wheat and layer pellets;
• one feeder in which you would put a mix of : wheat and duck pellets.

(You could still let all of your birds have access to both feeders, of course!)

They then have a variation of greenery - spinach, tomatos, lettuce, fresh greens, kale, blueberries, sweetcorn. I give them a handful of mealworms. The ducks also have a small handful of duck water pellets. They get fruit pecking blocks and the natures grub treat mix garlic and fruit options.

► REGARDING TREATS :

If your ducks freerange in a grass-covered park, you don't need to give treats to them.

But if you insist/want to do so, why not just give them your extra eggs (after boiling them)...?
(Eggs would actually be very good for them!)

I put brewers yeast in the water for the ducks and then apple cider vinegar twice a week.

Are your ducks usually healthy?
If so, I don't think giving them Brewer's yeast is necessary...

Same with Appel Cider Vinegar : 1 tablespoon per liter of water - for 24 hours, once a month at most - should be sufficient for your birds.

I now have one of the Khaki campbells who is struggling to pass eggs and laying soft shelled and not fully formed eggs.

I have fixed this issue some years ago with my chickens by mixing food grade Diatomaceous Earth with their food...
(It has the benefit to be 100% natural, so...)

► Since when, exactly, has your duck been "struggling to pass eggs" and "laying soft shelled and not fully formed eggs"?

Have you notice specific symptoms - such as lethargy for example...?
...A general weakness? A loss of appetite? Another thing...?

I have read online that an all-flock feed and calcium supplements is good but there are so many different things.

In my humble opinion, if birds are healthy and are allowed to freerange in a park covered with grass, their owners really don't need to feed them vitamins, calcium supplements, proteins, or whatever might be adviced sometimes... : in addition to their usual food, they should be able to find what their body needs in the yard they have access to.

Please could someone advise as I just want happy healthy birds. Thank you

Well... apparently, you already have happy, spoiled birds!

I don't know if I would qualify them as "unhealthy" : after all, we don't know what the issue is with your Campbell girl, exactly...

...Issue could be due to stress only, reduced light, an upcoming molt maybe...
...parasites, a poor diet, or the ingestion of a toxic plant...
...or even something more severe, such than an illness.

Old age can also do that to a duck hen, so really : tell us how old your girl is, please...?