betsycam
Chirping
- Oct 9, 2013
- 35
- 10
- 97
Hello,
My duck is not a youngster getting egg-bound during her first laying season; she is a few years old!
I noticed her off yesterday, and her bottom was pretty low. Not eating, not keeping up with her buddies. So, I caught her up and the area near her vent was hard, definitely egg-bound. I went ot the web and saw people saying to give them calcium and give them a warm tub. Well, I only have calcium orotate powder on hand which is 11% elemental calcium, or Tums. I tried the first, added to water and syringed into her mouth, but she seemed to refuse to swallow it. I put her in the tub for a good long soak, and then put her in a hospital cage. No egg this morning. So, brought her in again for a soak, and palpated through her vent. There are TWO eggs in there! One feels covered by tissue and is offset but closer to the vent. I can actually feel the shell of the one that is a bit further in.
A friend said to lube her up with mineral oil, holding her on her back so it can get down inside. After holding her that way for a good while, I used a gloved finger and probed again; her vent is very tight and I could tell it was uncomfortable for her. I managed to get the deeper one up to the vent such that I could see the it, but her vent won't relax to allow it to pass! I put her back in the tub where she seemed to be straining but nothing.
Tomorrow I will go to TSC and get some calcium gluconate. I was too booked today to get over there as we are in the country and it is quite a drive. Does the calcium allow their vent to relax? Should I massage the vent and try to get it to open up more? My friend said she has actually done episiotomies on ducks in this situation! Why would her vent remain so tight?
My ducks are fed a lay pellet that has oyster shell in it. I suspect dehydration since my DH had put them to bed and I don't think he refreshed their water tub in their night cage. The free range otherwise and have access to water during the day. Any other causes to consider? Again, she is an experienced hen!
Last of all, is there a FB page for poultry emergencies?
My duck is not a youngster getting egg-bound during her first laying season; she is a few years old!
I noticed her off yesterday, and her bottom was pretty low. Not eating, not keeping up with her buddies. So, I caught her up and the area near her vent was hard, definitely egg-bound. I went ot the web and saw people saying to give them calcium and give them a warm tub. Well, I only have calcium orotate powder on hand which is 11% elemental calcium, or Tums. I tried the first, added to water and syringed into her mouth, but she seemed to refuse to swallow it. I put her in the tub for a good long soak, and then put her in a hospital cage. No egg this morning. So, brought her in again for a soak, and palpated through her vent. There are TWO eggs in there! One feels covered by tissue and is offset but closer to the vent. I can actually feel the shell of the one that is a bit further in.
A friend said to lube her up with mineral oil, holding her on her back so it can get down inside. After holding her that way for a good while, I used a gloved finger and probed again; her vent is very tight and I could tell it was uncomfortable for her. I managed to get the deeper one up to the vent such that I could see the it, but her vent won't relax to allow it to pass! I put her back in the tub where she seemed to be straining but nothing.
Tomorrow I will go to TSC and get some calcium gluconate. I was too booked today to get over there as we are in the country and it is quite a drive. Does the calcium allow their vent to relax? Should I massage the vent and try to get it to open up more? My friend said she has actually done episiotomies on ducks in this situation! Why would her vent remain so tight?
My ducks are fed a lay pellet that has oyster shell in it. I suspect dehydration since my DH had put them to bed and I don't think he refreshed their water tub in their night cage. The free range otherwise and have access to water during the day. Any other causes to consider? Again, she is an experienced hen!
Last of all, is there a FB page for poultry emergencies?