Evaluating Who Has the Reproductive Issue...

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hello All, apologies in advance if this is redundant, but I've searched and this is my 1st year keeping ducks.

One of my ducks has been laying sort of strangely. I free range and feed 16% protein Duck Feed and offer Oyster Shell too. I've found eggs that look like soft serve ice cream cones, they were weak at that area. Then some shells were just plain weak. Then some only had the membrane, and finally I started noticing eggs at odd times, like late afternoon. Then two days ago I found 2 eggs with zero shells. So today I decided that it was necessary for me to visually check my 7 laying ducks. They all appeared pretty much the same, however, a Rouen, 8mos old did have 2 very very tiny shell fragments in the vent. It also appeared to me like the tissues were wetter and perhaps a little swollen. No obvious unusual odor. No hard abdomen or anything obvious other than that ducks vent appeared "different" from the other vents.

Now behaviorally, all seems fine, except that I have observed one other Rouen Duck has been mounting the Rouen in question here. I did have a large Pekin Drake but he is now seperate from the flock. Any advice from the Experts? Thank you all very much. Please have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

[Kevin565]

Have you tried switching them over to a different feed?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi Kevin, no I don't think this is feed-related. I've been using this feed for quite some time. I'm wondering about peritonitis.

 

[Kevin565]

Did you remove the shell fragments from the vent? Have you put anything on the vent to make the swelling go down?

 

[Amiga]

It could be the Pekin is paying too much attention to her. And based on my experiences, it could well be peritonitis.

Could you get her to a vet? You could get some calcium gluconate to add to her feed or water.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi there, I lost this thread for a few days but I'm glad to have found it!

Kevin- yes I removed the fragments that I found, but like I said, they were very tiny. So does that mean that there are more fragments inside that I should go looking for? Please advise.

Amiga, Howdy! No vet. I am somewhat inclined to agree that the drake was too rough. He is separated. I'll keep on the look out for peritonitis, but honestly in the meantime, everything looks fine today.

Thanks, you know I appreciate you both.

 

[Amiga]

Hi there, I lost this thread for a few days but I'm glad to have found it!
Kevin- yes I removed the fragments that I found, but like I said, they were very tiny. So does that mean that there are more fragments inside that I should go looking for? Please advise.
Amiga, Howdy! No vet. I am somewhat inclined to agree that the drake was too rough. He is separated. I'll keep on the look out for peritonitis, but honestly in the meantime, everything looks fine today.
Thanks, you know I appreciate you both.

See if you can get ahold of some calcium gluconate and add that to her water for several days. Has she laid an egg since this?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

See if you can get ahold of some calcium gluconate and add that to her water for several days. Has she laid an egg since this?

Amiga - How much calcium gluconate do you add to the water, and do you get the liquid or pills? We have a white crested that lays shell-less eggs. She has had blood work done and her calcium is elevated, which the vet said indicated that she is reproductively active. She is the one with neurological issues. They always have the oyster shell available. So i'm wondering if there are ducks, like mine and HollyDuckFarmer's that just don't absorb calcium effectively. Or perhaps there is some abnormality in the system that does not apply the shell to the egg as it's coming down the pike. i have an older Showgirl chicken who only laid shell-less eggs, when she laid at all. She is fine in every other way, and doesn't lay anymore. So i just chalked it up to her having some sort of defect.

 

[Amiga]

I need to look around and see what proportions I used. I apologize for not being able to remember that right now.

Something else could be the calcium to phosphorus ratio (that is in Storey's Guide somewhere), vitamin D levels, too.

I agree it could just be one of those things. My Sieben had trouble until she took a couple of months off, then she was fine again. I think Romy will be the same (we had her on neocalglucan for a while a couple of months ago, then she stopped laying, which was a relief).

 

[Tivona]

I really hate to say this but I have been through something much like what you are describing. Nice hard shells going to thin shells going to soft leathery shells going to no shells and no membranes. Two ducks (at different times) I had do this. Both had been great layers before this. I tried many different thing with them, Antibiotics, probiotics, extra calcium, time, ACV, getting the girl to a molt. Nothing worked. I lost both ducks one took a sudden turn and died rather quickly the other got culled when she looked like she was in pain. The ducks were a good weight, bright eyed, fast moving, and in all other ways appearing healthy up to almost the very end. At the end they both looked like they were in discomfort, holding the tail down a bit and just not as fast and fun as they should have been. I never knew what caused it but another person here in my town had the same problem and lost the duck from whatever it was. I quit trying to fix it when the last girl was in pain and will sadly cull any that show these extended symptoms in the future (I say extended symptoms as a soft shell once in awhile will show up particularly when a girl just starts laying). All the other ducks with them have been fine. I hope you can figure out what it is for your duck and that its not what mine had. Beyond telling you what I tried and the decision I have come to for my own ducks, I really have no help to offer and am truly sorry. I wish I had something to share other then the doom and gloom of my two ducks experiences. Please do tell us if you find out what it is or what cures it.