Not again 😣

[ruthhope]

In humans, Vitamin D helps absorption of calcium. If that is also true in ducks, then the tabs you found, @BelovedBirds should be good. Non-organic calcium is notoriously poorly absorbed which is why humans are better increasing dairy intake than taking tablets. Ducks cannot digest lactose in dairy so that solution cannot work for ducks. All we can do is increase the dose of calcium and hope that more is absorbed.

As for hormonal injections, they are ridiculously expensive and you have to pay vet fees every two weeks as the effect is so short lived. Personally, I would not go down the route of injections.

The implants are used off label in tbe USA. I read that they are licensed for use in poultry in The Netherlands. They would have to be used off label in the UK. You might share the information from the website I shared on their use in the USA with your vet as she may well not know about it
http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/des... Suprelorin®,place underneath the bird's skin

 

[BelovedBirds]

In humans, Vitamin D helps absorption of calcium. If that is also true in ducks, then the tabs you found, @BelovedBirds should be good. Non-organic calcium is notoriously poorly absorbed which is why humans are better increasing dairy intake than taking tablets. Ducks cannot digest lactose in dairy so that solution cannot work for ducks. All we can do is increase the dose of calcium and hope that more is absorbed.

As for hormonal injections, they are ridiculously expensive and you have to pay vet fees every two weeks as the effect is so short lived. Personally, I would not go down the route of injections.

The implants are used off label in tbe USA. I read that they are licensed for use in poultry in The Netherlands. They would have to be used off label in the UK. You might share the information from the website I shared on their use in the USA with your vet as she may well not know about it

I'll bring it up if we go see her and find out about it
Whether or not I end up needing that option this time, it would be nice to know my options for the future.

I'll start using the calcium citrate + vit D tablets once they arrive, ducks definitely do need it for egg production, it can't hurt to supplement both together. Do you have any idea on dosage? I could halve the tablets and give her 175mg twice daily, but that still sounds like a lot to me.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

That does look tricky!
Could I not just slip it into a blueberry and get her to eat it? I'm fairly sure she would

I have slipped pills into peas , grapes and even got a little handful of mealworms she didn’t notice the pill
So yes I think blueberries would also work

 

[ruthhope]

I'll bring it up if we go see her and find out about it
Whether or not I end up needing that option this time, it would be nice to know my options for the future.

I'll start using the calcium citrate + vit D tablets once they arrive, ducks definitely do need it for egg production, it can't hurt to supplement both together. Do you have any idea on dosage? I could halve the tablets and give her 175mg twice daily, but that still sounds like a lot to me.

I found this on BYC posted by @casportpony

For Calcium Gluconate 23% solution [that is what we have in the USA]

"The amount I give is ~0.2 ml per pound of bodyweight, which is 100 mg/kg.
Math for 1 pound:
1 / 2.2 x 100 / 230 = ~0.2 ml

Math for a five pound bird is:
5 / 2.2 x 100 / 230 = ~1.0 ml
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/"

I'm too tired to do the maths -- I am sure your younger brain will do it more accurately than my old tired one!!!

 

[BelovedBirds]

I'm too tired to do the maths -- I am sure your younger brain will do it more accurately than my old tired one!!!

there's no hope, I'm going to call my mother

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any idea on dosage?

How much does she weigh?

 

[fluffycrow]

What I'll say might be stupid, but is there a layer duck feed? Or possibly contact the company (of the duck eggs your girls are from) to see what they do for their ducks?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Even with the dose last night dashers egg today was a bit better but I can push my finger nail in it easily
I think you will need to dose her for a few days or until the shell is hard and normal
Sure hope your girl gets better soon
Egg issues are very scary for our girls

 

[BelovedBirds]

I found this on BYC posted by @casportpony

For Calcium Gluconate 23% solution [that is what we have in the USA]

"The amount I give is ~0.2 ml per pound of bodyweight, which is 100 mg/kg.
Math for 1 pound:
1 / 2.2 x 100 / 230 = ~0.2 ml

Math for a five pound bird is:
5 / 2.2 x 100 / 230 = ~1.0 ml
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/"

I'm too tired to do the maths -- I am sure your younger brain will do it more accurately than my old tired one!!!

So I THINK, she needs 200mg? Unless I'm being completely stupid which is a valid possibility

Trouble is, I don't think this calcium is 23%....
If I get the liquid calcium, which I may try to do, I'll know that for future reference though

 

[BelovedBirds]

How much does she weigh?

Around 4.5 lbs