Evaluating Who Has the Reproductive Issue...

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Ok I got the calcium (liquid) today at my local farm store, in the cattle department. I'm eagerly awaiting your mixing directions, Amiga! I am setting up a heated water bucket that is 5 gallons and is a hybrid of Miss Lydia's & Wynette's designs (Thank You by the way!!) So I can foresee that I might have some issues making certain that the duck I think has the issue is the only one drinking the mixed H2O. But once again, I'm not completely positive that duck is the layer of the odd eggs... I have a total of 7 ducks, 2 drakes. Today I pulled 22 beautiful eggs from a hidden nest that I found this morning, so I'm pretty sure not everyone needs treatment. Could it also just be a seasonal thing? Shorter daylight, colder temps?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok I got the calcium (liquid) today at my local farm store, in the cattle department. I'm eagerly awaiting your mixing directions, Amiga! I am setting up a heated water bucket that is 5 gallons and is a hybrid of Miss Lydia's & Wynette's designs (Thank You by the way!!) So I can foresee that I might have some issues making certain that the duck I think has the issue is the only one drinking the mixed H2O. But once again, I'm not completely positive that duck is the layer of the odd eggs... I have a total of 7 ducks, 2 drakes. Today I pulled 22 beautiful eggs from a hidden nest that I found this morning, so I'm pretty sure not everyone needs treatment. Could it also just be a seasonal thing? Shorter daylight, colder temps?

With Chickens it can be so most likely with ducks too. 22 eggs my goodness someone has been busy.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Bad news, went out to the pen to find a shell-less egg again today Makes me think the problem is not solved after all.

So, by process of elimination, I have figured that neither of my 2 drakes laid that egg, neither has the youngling, my Khaki Campbell seems to have returned to laying in her own (wierd) preferred spot, under a ramp, and the good eggs I'm getting look like Pekin sized. So that leaves the two Rouens, one of which had the "funny" looking vent back of the beginning. I suppose it is possible that the Lady with the issue could be the Jumbo Pekin that hatched in Spring, altho I'm not so sure of that since i did surprise her in the act of laying a few weeks back and that egg was perfect. So I'm down to 3 likely candidates. Now what!? How do I identify which duck it is?

Now last year I visited a working historical farm and I learned how the workers were able to identify which ram sired which lamb in a flock of many. I think the rams chests and abdomens were dusted with different colored chalk. After mating, dad would leave a chalk mark on the ewe, clearly demonstrating who had mated. So my question is, is there a technique similar to this that I can use with my ducks and their egg laying? Non invasive, hopefully!

And Amiga, I still have the liquid calcium, I haven't given it yet because a) I wasn't sure of the best method of delivery or proportions, and b) if I need to isolate each suck to avoid dosing my drakes or my healthy flock members.

Well. Experts, thank you for your input! Have a beautiful day.

 

[Amiga]

phooey, sorry about the shell problems.

Somewhere on this forum I read what folks used on the vent to mark eggs. . . . Was it CelticOaksFarm? jdywntr? Hmmm. It's here somewhere, a nontoxic material to dab on the vent. They even had photo's.....

I am not happy with myself for forgetting, and apparently never writing down, the proportion of calcium gluconate to water. I remember mixing x number of tablespoons into a couple of cups of water and adding it to their feed to be sure they got it all.....

Something unscientific I also did was rinse off oyster shell in water and give them the water to drink. I would rinse about a cup of oyster shell in a gallon and a half of water.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Terrific, ladies, thank you very much!!! Will do.

Amiga, I found the thread! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/717294/duck-safe-coloring-for-vent/10

Looks like the options are lipstick, eyeshadow, food coloring in a spray bottle. I'm leaning towards the food coloring. Will try that too.

Thanks again Miss Lydia & Amiga.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Terrific, ladies, thank you very much!!! Will do.
Amiga, I found the thread! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/717294/duck-safe-coloring-for-vent/10
Looks like the options are lipstick, eyeshadow, food coloring in a spray bottle. I'm leaning towards the food coloring. Will try that too.
Thanks again Miss Lydia & Amiga.

I'd go with food coloring also, lipstick on the vent of a duck just doesn't seem right.

 

[Amiga]

I'd go with food coloring also, lipstick on the vent of a duck just doesn't seem right.

Although at my place, that's probably the only use it would be

. Of course, if I forgot to mention it to my beloved, a garish color at that end would cause him great alarm.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Although at my place, that's probably the only use it would be

. Of course, if I forgot to mention it to my beloved, a garish color at that end would cause him great alarm.

I don't have any use for it either and cannot see myself buying it to use on the wrong end. And yes that would cause great alarm.

 

[Amiga]

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

LOL!

It worked! Definitely not the young Pekin.