My duck laid a soft, unusual egg. Is something wrong?

[subhanalah]

We do not put vinegar in our chickens water.   Do you think if you had used it during the winter you could have stopped the bacteria?   Do I need to be using it ACV  right?

ACV is not good for laying birds during hot weather due to inhibiting calcium absorption.

The best way to prevent water from going "bad" is frequent (more than once a day in hot weather) changing the water and cleaning it or switching to a nipple watering system. I recommend the latter.

 

[TwoDogFarm]

ACV is not good for laying birds during hot weather due to inhibiting calcium absorption.

The best way to prevent water from going "bad" is frequent (more than once a day in hot weather) changing the water and cleaning it or switching to a nipple watering system. I recommend the latter.

We usually use white vinegar in our chicken water. We've never tried ACV. Does the same hold true for white vinegar?

 

[subhanalah]

We usually use white vinegar in our chicken water. We've never tried ACV. Does the same hold true for white vinegar?

I am not entirely sure, but I believe it has to do with the acidity, so I would guess yes.

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

As I understand it, it would be the acidity that gives vinegar the antimicrobial benefit. However, I believe apple cider vinegar (raw and unfiltered) has an added benefit - it has beneficial probiotics which can help strengthen the immune system.

This is my theory based on my knowledge of fermentation (how vinegar is made) and probiotics.

A brand of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar that I use for myself is Bragg's. I don't use it for my ducks very often, though.

 

[clairalucypipa]

Do you have oyster shell where they can get it whenever they want? Sometimes they will have soft shelled eggs if they aren't getting enough calcium.

I agree when my ducks first started laying they would either lay un shelled eggs or softer shells, after some research I found it was a result of lack of calcium. hope this helps!

 

[suellen123]

Soft shell can be a serious problem. I lost a female who was laying soft shell eggs to rectal prolapse and I believe she was egg bound. Trust me it is as horrible as it sounds. They have a inexpensive calcium supplement you can get if your duck doesn't eat oyster shells. I put it in a spay bottle and spray it on some food to hand feed my females. To much calcium for males is bad so you want to make sure they don't get it. Make sure you duck food is 16-18 percent protein and 2-3 percent calcium. The food I fed them did not meet the requirement so now I feed them egg layer pellets. Google, Google, Google all your concerns and use this forum and you should be okay. Good luck.