Help Me! My duck eats her eggs!!!

[Patrick Gaddy]

i have a 2 year old duck named quacker. she started laying eggs since 2 years ago (2014) and then... one day. she layed an egg. but... SHE ATE THE EGG! and now she keeps doing that. but. Luckly there was no baby inside. if there was a baby. she would kill it! is this bad behaviors? she did not ate the egg when the first time she layed one! help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What are you feeding her. Egg eating is usually from a deficiency of protein or calcium. Duck eggs are usually very hard shelled, so the fact that she can break her shells with her bill leads me to believe that the shells aren't strong. She should be fed a good all flock ration with 18-20% protein and a separate bowl of oyster shells for calcium. My duck hens love eating eggshells, so I feed them too when I have them. My duck hens seem to really have a need for calcium when they are laying and fight over the eggshells.

 

[Patrick Gaddy]

well i mean. she ate her own egg. i do not give her eggs. a couple of days ago she did not ate an egg but ate an earbud. we was afraid if the tiny pieces of egg shell will choke her

 

[ClickCluckMoo]

Hello!

Egg eating is something that lot's of naughty birds like to do. It is possible that Quacker (love the name, by the way) accidentally broke an egg, thought she would see what it tasted like, and then has been stuck with the habit since.
An egg eating habit can be broken several ways. You can use a gold ball or some other egg mimic and put it in Quacker's nest. She will eventually realize that pecking the "egg" doesn't give her treats, just a sore bill, and should stop.
Another method is a little more hands on. Get one of the eggs and poke tiny holes in each end so you can blow all the inside fluid out. Then put mustard, hot sauce, or both inside and put the egg where you can be sure your duck will peck it. She will be very unpleasantly surprised, as ducks and chickens alike hate the taste of mustard. The spiciness makes it even worse!
Whatever method you try, know that it will take a little time for your duck to learn.

Good luck!

~ClickCluckMoo~

 

[Patrick Gaddy]

here is the two eggs that did not hatched because she does not have a mate yet. (the first egg you see in the right side is kinda cracked) i would Never put hot sauce on my duck. she will come sick! she is probably thinks it is food or she is scared of the egg

 

[ClickCluckMoo]

Hot sauce won't make your duck sick, it will only remind her that eggs are not for eating. If she thinks it is food, then you will want to remind her that it is not. Are you feeding her enough? Quacker sounds like she has just started a bad habit, and I suggest breaking it as soon as possible! There are many other ways to break egg eating that can be found on the web, so you might want to search for other options.

Good luck with Quacker!

~ClickCluckMoo~

 

[chickens really]

I would never give Hot Sauce to my Ducks.....She is lacking in Protein....Contact
@Miss Lydia
She knows Ducks.....

Cheers!

 

[ClickCluckMoo]

Alright, if hot sauce is not your preference, search the web for other easy fixes for egg eating. It really isn't too hard and you will be glad that you did when those eggs can be collected, fresh and full! Are the eggs for hatching or are they for you to eat?

Let me know what you try!

~ClickCluckMoo~

 

[Miss Lydia]

What are you feeding her. Egg eating is usually from a deficiency of protein or calcium. Duck eggs are usually very hard shelled, so the fact that she can break her shells with her bill leads me to believe that the shells aren't strong. She should be fed a good all flock ration with 18-20% protein and a separate bowl of oyster shells for calcium. My duck hens love eating eggshells, so I feed them too when I have them. My duck hens seem to really have a need for calcium when they are laying and fight over the eggshells.

I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs s, sounds like a nutritional def. especially if she can crack open her eggs I just about need a hammer to crack open my duck eggs. I would def make sure is has either layer with oyster shell on the side or an all flock with OS on the side. Even if I feed layer I still see some of my ducks and hens going after oyster shell.

I offer egg shells once in a while too and if they find any in the compost they eat them down also.

Tell us about her day is she an only duck? you say she doesn't have a drake yet does she have any other duck friends? Ducks are flock animals and can pick up bad behaviors if kept by themselves with no other ducks to hang out with and be ducks. So one day she may have laid a soft shell egg it was easy to open and that could have started her like for eggs and if the others are easily cracked then maybe because of boredom she just keeps it up.
I do know that a good solid diet means alot in our flocks health and it takes alot of good nutrients to keep our layers in tip top shape especially as they age and continue to lay eggs. One day one of my new Runner layers dropped an egg on the patio it cracked open all I saw was about 4 chickens and some ducks standing in a circle when I went to see what was going on all that was left was a little yolk and white they take advantage of any situation. lol

So @Patrick Gaddy give us some back ground on this duck and the rest of your birds and hopefully we can help you with any problems you may have. We all learn from each other Thankfully.

@Patrick Gaddy

 

[Patrick Gaddy]

for eating. thank god it is not for hatching