Help- I have a thin laying duck.

[Rosewarrior]

Can someone please help me?
I have a beautiful Welsh Harlequin duck and she is laying. About 2 weeks ago I noticd she was losing weight, and now her keel bone is prominant under her feathers.
Her egg shells are nice and formed, but a little small for duck size eggs.

She has her cracked corn pellets, fresh water,and oyster shell avalible to her 24 hours a day.
I have been searching the internet about what to do, it this normal for a laying duck to lose that much weight, I see her eating and drinking.

I thought maybe she wasn't getting enough protein, but I don't want her to get Angel wing either.
I give her snacks too: cooked chicken, beef, worms,and second to worms, frozen greenbeans.

I do have a good vet, but I don't have the finances this minuite to take her there.
Does anyone know what to do for her?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much!

RoseWarrior

 

[Amiga]

RoseWarrior, could you get ahold of some layer pellets? There are all kinds of vitamins in that, already balanced. The corn is something I think of as extra calories in small amounts, or short term, but not enough nutrients needed for a laying duck.

The protein is good, but depending on how much you are giving her, that may be a bit off-balance.

I would start with some poultry vitamins with electrolytes and probiotics. I pay about 4 dollars for a package of powder that lasts over a year, given occasionally. I would give her the vitamins twice a week in her water, to start (I think they usually say a quarter teaspoon powder in a gallon of water).

I would get her a laying ration, and make that the basis for her feeding.

Think about having a fecal test done. That costs us much less than an exam, and I can take the poop to the vet and they get it tested and call back.

See if you can give her just a little bit of lettuce or wheat sprouts, some fresh vegetables. Not loads. I find that I can buy wheat seeds pretty inexpensively, soak and sprout them, and the ducks love them. They have nutrients and protein. But that is only part of the ducks' diet.

Those are my thoughts.

 

[Rosewarrior]

Thanks for the suggestions
I didn't think of the vitamins.

I usually have her on laying feed because she lays most of the year. But I recently switched because she had a molt for something like six months straight.

I have a somewhat picky duck, she dosen't like lettuce, but she loves her green beans.

I will look for the buckwheat at my feed store.
I will definately look into getting a fecal test tomorrow, it's late at night where I am.

I take it this is somewhat normal for a laying duck?
Thank you very much for the info.

 

[Amiga]

I don't know that I would say normal, but a laying duck has very high nutrition needs and so they need all the help they can get.

She may like buckwheat, or wheat, or barley, or millet. I understand any of them can be sprouted. I have tried buckwheat sprouts, and they get a lukewarm reception, but the wheat fodder (let the sprouts get 2 or 3 inches long and green) are amazing according to the ducks.

And they cost less than frozen peas.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

X2

 

[ducksinarow]

Gamebird feed or all flock is for ducks and has more nutrition than corn. I think it is around 18% protein. You could use it to build her up. I feed these and have never had a problem with angel wing.

 

[Rosewarrior]

I will try all suggestions, Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[veronicasmom]

Would some crushed up cat food be a possibility too? That would give her some extra protein.

http://www.sstack.com/product/cocosoya-oil-/

I use this for my almost 29 year old mare to keep weight on her in the winter. I don't know if you can give it to your duck, maybe someone on here will be able to answer that. And, of course, getting it in her might be interesting

, but it is a good product and a gallon is only $20 at TSC. Maybe she might like it and you would be able to put it on something she will eat readily, like some mealworms. Just thought I'd throw this out there in case it might work. Good luck.

 

[Amiga]

I had been wondering about coconut oil for the ducks in the depth of winter, especially the lighter ones.

 

[veronicasmom]

I just don't know how you would figure the amount to give them.