Lame or poorly? Young Welsh harlequin female duck

[Kangasox]

We just went through potential egg binding with my welsh harlequin (with much help from Amiga). Has she layed any eggs yet?

 

[hwyaden ty]

Can you gently feel her abdomen and see if you can feel an egg in there? My first thought would be egg binding as well. You can try letting her soak in a warm bath for awhile and see if that helps her relax enough to pass the egg (if that is indeed her problem). Extra calcium right away helps stimulate them to lay as well. A vet would really be the best thing though, if you are able to get her to one. 

She is walking fine now and I found two soft eggs in her run!!!! So I think you are right the eggs were stuck. How can I prevent this happening again? Does the poor love need calcium? And should I give it to them for as long as they are laying? Or are the soft eggs just because they've only started laying? Thanks all for your help I really really appreciate it xx

 

[hwyaden ty]

And normal calcium from pharmacy?

 

[Amiga]

She is walking fine now and I found two soft eggs in her run!!!! So I think you are right the eggs were stuck. How can I prevent this happening again? Does the poor love need calcium? And should I give it to them for as long as they are laying? Or are the soft eggs just because they've only started laying? Thanks all for your help I really really appreciate it xx

Yay!
First, easiest thing is more calcium. I have seen with my flock that not all ducks have the same ability to handle calcium. Maybe they don't eat enough of it, maybe they just need more that's in the feed, maybe there's a cofactor involved, I don't know.

Early egg laying produces numerous softies, in my experience. Some ducks pop'em out no problem, others look like they're having major PMS.

Calcium - I crush calcium citrate tablets. And I make some educated guesses about dosage. Soft egg layers get 100 to 200 mg extra calcium per day (in addition to their layer feed) for several days. Then I back off to maybe 50 for a couple more weeks. If shells start getting thin, back onto extra extra calcium. I put the crushed tablets into moist treats. Sometimes I put crushed calcium into everyone's food at about 50 mg per duck per day.

Calcium affects not only egg shells but heart and bone, so it's good to make sure they're getting enough.

And normal calcium from pharmacy?

Yes, I buy the big jar of 250 mg calcium citrate.

 

[hwyaden ty]

Rebecca may have egg lYing problems including the possibility of egg binding. She needs a vet, who can help diagnose. If that is not possible, then I would start putting turmeric in her food or water - I don't know exact dosages but I would start with a teaspoon per cup of food or pint of water. Turmeric stains - FYI

She needs an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic if what I suspect is happening.

It may be she needs a boost of calcium - half a Tums, or 200 milligrams of calcium citrate crushed into a moistened treat, ASAP

Tums? As in the anti-acid tabs?

 

[Amiga]

Sometimes when a duck needs calcium, and it's the middle of the night or for some extenuating circumstance, Tums has, if I recall, 400 mg per tablet.

So it's an emergency measure. I would not make it my primary source of calcium - I just don't know if the other ingredients are that helpful.

 

[hwyaden ty]

Yay!
First, easiest thing is more calcium.  I have seen with my flock that not all ducks have the same ability to handle calcium.  Maybe they don't eat enough of it, maybe they just need more that's in the feed, maybe there's a cofactor involved, I don't know.

Early egg laying produces numerous softies, in my experience.  Some ducks pop'em out no problem, others look like they're having major PMS.

Calcium - I crush calcium citrate tablets.  And I make some educated guesses about dosage.  Soft egg layers get 100 to 200 mg extra calcium per day (in addition to their layer feed) for several days.  Then I back off to maybe 50 for a couple more weeks.  If shells start getting thin, back onto extra extra calcium.  I put the crushed tablets into moist treats.  Sometimes I put crushed calcium into everyone's food at about 50 mg per duck per day.

Calcium affects not only egg shells but heart and bone, so it's good to make sure they're getting enough.

Yes, I buy the big jar of 250 mg calcium citrate.

Excellent. Thank you so much. Feel so stupid and that I should have known this. My other girl seems fine. Will get onto the calcium and turmeric for safe measure and hopefully she will be ok. So scary to see! X

 

[Amiga]

Excellent. Thank you so much. Feel so stupid and that I should have known this. My other girl seems fine. Will get onto the calcium and turmeric for safe measure and hopefully she will be ok. So scary to see! X

Please, please, do not feel stupid. You should not necessarily have known this. I did not learn it from anything I read before getting ducks, and I read a whole bunch.

I don't even think all the vets know this. I am convinced we still don't really grasp all the pieces of this egg laying puzzle.

Just don't wear anything you don't want stained if you are working with turmeric! And I hope you like yellow ducks

Turmeric is not as strong as the prescription anti-inflammatories, I would think. At the same time if a vet is not an option, at least this is something to try.

 

[hwyaden ty]

Please, please, do not feel stupid.  You should not necessarily have known this.  I did not learn it from anything I read before getting ducks, and I read a whole bunch.

I don't even think all the vets know this.  I am convinced we still don't really grasp all the pieces of this egg laying puzzle.

Just don't wear anything you don't want stained if you are working with turmeric!  And I hope you like yellow ducks


Turmeric is not as strong as the prescription anti-inflammatories, I would think.  At the same time if a vet is not an option, at least this is something to try.

Haha I don't care what colour my ducks are as long as they are healthy!

How on earth do you get them to eat the calcium?! I crushed the calcium and put it in a bowl of peas and water (their favourite). But have no way of telling how much they have had?! I guess it's trial and error. And hoping it's enough so she doesn't struggle again tomorrow morning?!

As I was poodling about in the garden with the ducks, crushing calcium and trying with several foods to get them to eat it I had a thought - "how on earth do ducks survive in the wild". Or is it just that the human made food sources are so bloody rubbish?!

 

[hwyaden ty]

*and thank you for your understanding. Still feel like a bad duck mum!!