Is something wrong with one of my girls?

[Southern Duckies]

Ok, just returned to the duck house and noticed 2 soft shelled broken eggs laying on the floor. Surely this isn't normal is it? I assumed all 3 of my girls layed this morning because I gathered 3 eggs this morning. The shells I found this evening weren't hard but soft. And how in the world did my girl drop 2 so quickly?

 

[sylviethecochin]

First of all, how old are they? It's not unheard of for a new layer who's still "sorting things out" to lay more than one egg a day. With chickens, they can only make one shell every 25 hours, so obviously the second egg doesn't have much in the way of covering.

Since you already got eggs today, I would assume that that is what happened? Usually, laying a soft-shelled egg is a sign of some sort of stress, but multiple eggs aren't exactly associated with weakness and a lack of internal resources.

You may possibly be feeding too much protein.

 

[fawndane]

It is probably nothing more major than small burp in the egg production. Have you been feeding them the same feed and not changing it up? Is there any illness going around the flock that you may be unaware of?

 

[Southern Duckies]

Ok, probably more protein than usual. I have been feeding 2 of my girls more protein due to them being under weight. No illnesses that I'm aware of, all ducks seem healthy but my youngest girl, around a year old, seems to eat but hasn't been picking up weight. All are active and preen really well so maybe it's the extra protein that's messing with one of their egg cycles. For now I'll return to their normal feed. I do have an older girl, she's about 5 years old and my third is a year and a half. Thanks for the info., I feel better now not thinking something was seriously wrong.

 

[chickens really]

Do you Provide Oyster shell for extra calcium?..What's all the talk about extra protein for?

 

[Southern Duckies]

Yes I do but I don't really catch them eating it. One girl is on the light side, acting fine but she isn't gaining like my others so I increased her protein by adding some cat food and I'm thinking that may have helped cause the soft eggs. I have stated sneaking the oyster shells in with the pea treats.

 

[chickens really]

Yes I do but I don't really catch them eating it. One girl is on the light side, acting fine but she isn't gaining like my others so I increased her protein by adding some cat food and I'm thinking that may have helped cause the soft eggs. I have stated sneaking the oyster shells in with the pea treats.

Okay now it's not protein she is lacking...Its calcium an if a young new layer it's normal and will regulate..Provide Oyster shell not just grit...

 

[Southern Duckies]

Okay now it's not protein she is lacking...Its calcium an if a young new layer it's normal and will regulate..Provide Oyster shell not just grit...

Yes I've been sneaking it in with her pea treats. Is there another form of calcium I could use to make sure she's getting all she needs daily?

 

[chickens really]

Yes I've been sneaking it in with her pea treats. Is there another form of calcium I could use to make sure she's getting all she needs daily?

Yes...oyster shell in a bowl separated from feed and she will eat what she needs...Not just snuck into peas...