Egg Laying Questions

[jemjdragon]

Hey guys,
ChaCha seems to be having laying issues again, and I am wondering if you guys have any advice.
She is often now laying no shell, soft shell, or thin shell eggs which I often find broken in her pen/nest. As a result, ants are becoming a nightmare.
She is fed organic layer food for poultry (its not medicated) and has access to grit, oyster shell, and fresh water for drinking.
She has a pool for swimming, gets fresh greens/grass, and forages for bugs. Her behavior is normal, except that she doesn't always lay in the morning now.
So I am not sure what's wrong.
I just paid for my fall quarter in college and currently can't afford to go to the vet, but I should be able to go with her in a week or two.

 

[Amiga]

See if you can get a bottle of 23% calcium gluconate solution. I buy it by the case, so it's only about 4 dollars a bottle for me. Through the vet it is closer to ten. I buy from Jeffers.

I put a teaspoon of Ca gluconate per half cup of water, added to the feed to make it nice and moist. I have also started adding ground flax seeds. But the calcium is something I would try.

Some of my ducks just have a hard time either getting enough calcium or using it effectively.

I identify. Right now, several of my ducks are resting from laying, and we have not had a soft egg in several days. The soft ones are in spite of the extra calcium but it has cut down on the problem.

I have been wondering if adding some coconut oil to their feed might help. Just an instinctive idea, nothing scientific.

 

[jemjdragon]

Thank you for a quick reply.
Is there a specific name for the 23% calcium gluconate solution? Do you know if would it also be available through other feed/pet stores?
And if I would like to get Chacha to rest from laying, how would I do that? Last time I tried, she kept laying and one egg broke inside her.
And why would coconut oil be beneficial?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I found Ca Gluc in the cattle section of my local feed store. It was simply labeled Calcium Gluc.

 

[Amiga]

Keeping her in a darkened space will reduce egg laying. It actually induced Sechs to become broody, which was fine, she stopped laying.

It's just calcium gluconate, 23%. It is used for milk fever in ruminants.

I snagged a photo of the bottle off Jeffers' web site

(I don't get any money or discounts or anything from them. f.y.i.)


I am not sure why coconut oil would help, aside from reports that it helps the immune system and hormones, and helps the body absorb some vitamins better. D3 is important in addition to calcium, so as I wrote, this is my instinct, not some kind of scientific idea.