Possible Chronic Egg Laying Problem

[Miss Lydia]

It sure won't hurt her to have both. Your a wonderful mama to your critters.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It sure won't hurt her to have both. Your a wonderful mama to your critters.

Thanks for that. There are days when it feels like I can't win. I've had a handful of those lately. I know it could be worse. I need to be more grateful.

 

[CoriM]

It can be so hard with duck's health needs! Keep up the good job!

 

[Quatie]

Something I find helpful is to feed layer feed on the side. While I offer oyster shells, I find ducks who are less likely to eat the oyster shells will eat layer feed. I found this to help with some of my ducks. I get better eggs and my ducks have less issues overall. I only had some really minor issues when I switched brands and they didn't like the new layer feed as well. Now they are eating it again, I have no problems again.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Something I find helpful is to feed layer feed on the side. While I offer oyster shells, I find ducks who are less likely to eat the oyster shells will eat layer feed. I found this to help with some of my ducks. I get better eggs and my ducks have less issues overall. I only had some really minor issues when I switched brands and they didn't like the new layer feed as well. Now they are eating it again, I have no problems again.

I might try that. I'd have to separate them from my chickens first as I have 2 roosters. But that's not out of the realm of possibilites.

 

[Quatie]

I might try that. I'd have to separate them from my chickens first as I have 2 roosters. But that's not out of the realm of possibilites.

I wouldn't worry too much. I find my drake hardly touches it. If they eat a little bit, it is not that bad. The layer feed probably accounts for about 20% of their diet. When I have younger ducks, I give them access to it for like 10 minutes and shoo away the young ones. My adult girls see it as a treat.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I wouldn't worry too much. I find my drake hardly touches it. If they eat a little bit, it is not that bad. The layer feed probably accounts for about 20% of their diet. When I have younger ducks, I give them access to it for like 10 minutes and shoo away the young ones. My adult girls see it as a treat.

Totally worth a shot. The other thing I was thinking is adding calcium to the duckie buckets. The chickens have their own waterers. I don't think my small rooster can even drink from them. I can probably add calcium to those, too.

 

[CoriM]

The only problem with adding it to their water is that duck water gets dirty and needs changing so quickly. My ducks really never consume that much of their water before it gets changed. I have given my ducks citracal petite pills and it's not too hard to get those down. I usually dip them in olive oil first to make it easy.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I wouldn't worry too much. I find my drake hardly touches it. If they eat a little bit, it is not that bad. The layer feed probably accounts for about 20% of their diet. When I have younger ducks, I give them access to it for like 10 minutes and shoo away the young ones. My adult girls see it as a treat.

Any suggestions for good layer feed? Is there one that's better than others? I have never fed layer feed - lol!

 

[KaleIAm]

I know what it is, but I do have a couple of questions.

What is the implant placement procedure like? Is there recovery time that requires special care? And does the implant need to be taken out or replaced (ie how long is it effective)? And did it come with any side effects?

Sorry of these are silly. I just want to be informed as best as I can.

The placement procedure was very simple. No anesthesia was required. It is very similar to getting an identification microchip implanted in a cat or dog. Basically, the hormone is in a grain of rice sized implant inside a needle and they just inject it under the skin. The implant stays in forever. They returned my ducks back to me within minutes. No after care required. No symptoms, aside from reduced reproductive symptoms.

The hormone can last for up to three months, if I'm remembering correctly. Then you need to get a new one. You might need to get a new one earlier for some birds. It can take 3 weeks to become effective, and so I also got an injection of a shot, sorry I can't remember the name, which becomes effective immediately and doesn't last as long.

Yes, these medications are not approved by the FDA for food production animals, like ducks. Some vets will do it anyway. You will never be able to use Figgy's eggs ever again - or any eggs in the coop she lives in just in case they are hers.