Need help with thin shelled eggs

[casportpony]

A link:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww22eii.htm

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Chapters 3 and 31:
http://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/avian-medicine/

-Kathy

Note: Most of the stuff is way over my head, but you might find some useful info there:

 

[casportpony]

Chapter five:
http://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/clinical-avian-medicine/

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Another:
http://avianmedicine.net/publication_cat/research-and-articles/

-Kathy

 

[Gone-Quackers]

This is just a thought but maybe they are eating something that is blocking their calcium absorption. When I was doing research I read that spinach is bad for ducks because it inhibits their ability to absorb calcium. I don't know if there are other foods that have a similar effect.

There are other factors that can lead to thin shells too like hot weather, overweight ducks, or they could be stressed. Is there anything that has happened or changed recently that would cause them to get stressed?

Whoops! I was looking up thin shelled duck eggs as my ducks suddenly have thin shells. Guess who fed them spinach leaves? I haven't been giving them crushed oyster ushells either as their Purina layena diet is supposed to have all the calcium they need. Time to stop giving them spinach and add in some oyster shells.

 

[lomine]

Whoops! I was looking up thin shelled duck eggs as my ducks suddenly have thin shells. Guess who fed them spinach leaves? I haven't been giving them crushed oyster ushells either as their Purina layena diet is supposed to have all the calcium they need. Time to stop giving them spinach and add in some oyster shells.

Glad you found a possible reason. You weren't specific, but I'd recommend giving the oyster shell free-choice, in a separate bowl. They should take what they need. You don't want to mix it in with their feed and give them too much, that can be bad too.

Just to clarify, the layer feed is formulated with the calcium they need but only if their diet is 100% layer feed. When we let them forage or give them snacks we are lowering their overall calcium intake percentage. That's why we need to offer the oyster shell or other source of calcium.

 

[drjulian]

No Spinach here. My 3 ducks are fed only Layena pellets with the occasional scoop of BOSS and every once in a while some peas with calcium carbonate sprinkled on. They have free oyster shell and they spend their days (and nights) in their private pond which has small fish and frog.

Although we have had a very serious rainy season (7 feet of rain in 10 months), they seem to thrive in the wet conditions and do not even seek shelter in their coop during the rains.

Their egg laying has worsened. Now two of them do not lay at all for many weeks and when they do the shells are thinner then paper. The other will lay maybe once ever 3 days but her eggs are quite normal: shells are intact. They seem healthy enough and they do nest every night.

Since they are provided with calcium via the oyster shell, the Layena and the occasional calcium carbonate sprinkle, I hesitate to believe it is a calcium deficiency. Additionally we are in FL and our 'soil' is actually crushed shell. So they are surrounded by calcium.

Any other ideas?

 

[lomine]

Did you ever try giving them vitamin D?

 

[drjulian]

yep. gave it to them for 2 weeks without any change so I stopped.

 

[lomine]

Sorry. I'm out of ideas. Is there a vet in your area you can talk to?