Eggs, no shell, Calcium Issues?

[DucksAndGardens]

So my ducks are laying. YAY. Sad thing is that I'm losing about 3 eggs a day because someone is laying shell-less eggs. The shelled layers lay theirs in the morning around 6 or 7am. The Shell-less layers are laying theirs around 6-7pm. I think I know who might be one of the shell-less offenders but as for the other two I am not sure at all who it is.

Now I provide free oyster shell access at all times. There is a bucket in their pen and another 2 buckets in their new free range field area.

Their Feed is Scratch and Peck Layer mixed with Nature First Layer Feed.

They have access to about 1/4 acre to roam and forage and eat whatever they can find in the weeds, dirt, and grass.

Full access to clean drinking water and swimming water.

I tend to find the shell-less eggs around their baby pool or in the baby pool. I want to up their calcium to try and get these shell-less layers to have shells but I'm not sure who it is. So if I add more calcium to their food will hurt the ones that are laying normal shells?

Any suggestions on what to use for calcium? I was just going to add some calcium citrate to their feed.

I've read this is common in new layers but this has been going on for almost a month. I just don't want their health impacted by these shell-less eggs.

 

[Amiga]

You might bump up their calcium by 50 mg per duck a few days a week and see if that helps. Or, you could identify your shell-less girls, and give them "special," what I call treats with calcium in them. I give Romy special most nights.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

So my ducks are laying. YAY. Sad thing is that I'm losing about 3 eggs a day because someone is laying shell-less eggs. The shelled layers lay theirs in the morning around 6 or 7am. The Shell-less layers are laying theirs around 6-7pm. I think I know who might be one of the shell-less offenders but as for the other two I am not sure at all who it is.

Now I provide free oyster shell access at all times. There is a bucket in their pen and another 2 buckets in their new free range field area.

Their Feed is Scratch and Peck Layer mixed with Nature First Layer Feed.

They have access to about 1/4 acre to roam and forage and eat whatever they can find in the weeds, dirt, and grass.

Full access to clean drinking water and swimming water.

I tend to find the shell-less eggs around their baby pool or in the baby pool. I want to up their calcium to try and get these shell-less layers to have shells but I'm not sure who it is. So if I add more calcium to their food will hurt the ones that are laying normal shells?

Any suggestions on what to use for calcium? I was just going to add some calcium citrate to their feed.

I've read this is common in new layers but this has been going on for almost a month. I just don't want their health impacted by these shell-less eggs.

There are so many reasons this can happen, including disease and stress. In cases where those are ruled out, the most common cause is nutritional deficiencies. Calcium is key, but so is vitamin D because vitamin D is necessary for the calcium to be utilized. Vitamin D likely isn't the problem, though, if your ducks are allowed foraging time in the yard every day.

Can you remind me/us what breed the ducks are? Also, are any of the ducks on the far end of size for their breed, i.e., either small or large for the breed? The most typey show Call we have is very small, and she almost always lays soft eggs even though she's otherwise healthy. You can also see issues in ducks that are unusually large for their breed or are overweight.

 

[Amiga]

Jade makes some good points. One friend of mine has had many ducks, mostly Pekins and some Muscovies for several years. She has seen no clear correlation between soft eggs and other problems - but some have said there is an increased risk of egg yolk peritonitis with soft eggs.

We are at a point, us duck folks in general, where more of us are keeping small flocks and so we see things and have an interest in dealing with health issues rather than ignoring them and-or euthanizing the ducks that are not "performing." This is not a condemnation of that approach, just a recognition that there is a growing population of people with smaller, more intensively managed flocks.

Okay, back to the ducks. From what I have read and been told, and to echo Jade, calcium, vitamin D, protein, Ca ratio, parasite load, general health, stress of any sort, normal seasonal cycles - all play a role. I think when my Runners were young we did see soft eggs for several weeks. Some of them popped out when the ducks played hop on top, as they were reaching sexual maturity.

 

[DucksAndGardens]

The girls are

Blue Swedish (1)
Black Swedish (1)
Pekin (1)
Welsh Harlequin (1) I suspect this may be one of my soft shell layers
Golden Layer 300 (metzer farms) (3)
Cayuga (2) Pretty sure that at least one of these two are not soft shell layers as I have been getting small black eggs.
Silver Appleyard (1) She's not laying yet, too young so not her.


As far as size, they all seem to be about the normal size for their breed.

 

[Amiga]

 

[Tevyes Dad]

I get some shell-less on and off usually in the evening. The duck changes (If one duck does it more than a couple times in a row I will hand feed them oyster shell but that usually isn't the case). The flock eats lots of oyster shell (about 5 lbs in 2 - 3 months per bird). I would guess hop on top to be the culprit.

 

[casportpony]

I also notice that soft-shelled eggs are laid about 8-12 hours past when they normally lay, and this seems to be true with all fowl, not just ducks. When I see softies in one of mine I start by de-worming with Sageguard and giving calcium orally. I'll also monitor their poop for signs of bacterial infection.

If you can, might be a good idea to gather a bunch of fresh poop from as many ducks as possible, place in baggie, stir well and take to vet for fecal float to chech for worm eggs.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Feeding greens like kale and collard greens is also a good source of calcium. Spinach, while high in calcium, also contains something that inhibits calcium uptake. I forget the name... Will look for it.

-Kathy

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Feeding greens like kale and collard greens is also a good source of calcium. Spinach, while high in calcium, also contains something that inhibits calcium uptake. I forget the name... Will look for it.

-Kathy

Spinach is very high in oxylates and iron, so that might be what you're thinking about. Some people say it's fine in small quantities, but I don't ever give it to our ducks. I always tend toward caution, so my feeling is why give them something in any amount if it comes with warnings. There are so many great things they can eat without problems, so I completely avoid anything that is potentially harmful. As much as I love spinach, I've almost stopped eating it myself because of the potential health consequences.