Hello, I am hoping someone may have some experience and knowledge about egg laying issues. This is a bit of a saga but I want to try to include any relevant info: our 1 year 2 mo buff duck started laying eggs with calcium deposits about 3 months ago, we thought at first she was going out of lay and didnt worry much. She has however continued to lay rough eggs at her usual almost daily rate (both ducks lay in the early morning before being let outside, I'm guessing between 5-7am because if I am early to let them out (7:30am usually) the eggs are still a bit warm. We adjusted her feed (from scratch and peck grower with free choice oyster shell to gradually mixing in layer pellets to see if there was some kind of imbalance of nutrients). I also tried eliminating treats on a rotating basis (all healthy greens), made her shed darker and made sure she had constant access to water. She lives with one other girl duck and 2 boys, the ducks and drakes are always separated at night and now that they are in season they are separated during the day and allowed to have conjugal visits when we are with them to make sure our ratio isnt hard on the girls. All the ducks free range during the day and have access to either our 800 gal filtered pond or a kiddie pool at all times as well as having fresh water at least 2x day and constant access to food.
After making these adjustments she continued to lay rough shelled eggs and she presented as egg bound (no egg laid in the morning, no poops I observed and tail bobbing, being quite rude like she was uncomfortable) 3 days ago, I gave her a warm bath and then a warm nest and she was able to lay mid day. I got a vet appointment for her the next day and she did lay an egg that morning. The vet vet assured me she was healthy and suggested dehydration or disturbances as reasons for the rough shelled eggs. I feel we have already addressed any potential for these issues in my own treatment but i was told I was "making husbandry errors" and to basically to do what I had already done regarding separating the genders and access to water. I was given no explanation for the delayed lay the day before and when I asked about nutritional or oviduct issues was told that again it was husbandry.
Today she did not lay an egg in the morning and began to bob her tail and pant about 4pm. I filled up a small tub for her outside right away and she hopped in, tail bobbed for 20 minutes, hopped out and laid an egg. I am concerned because she is continuing to tail bob and get in and out of the tub (a cement mixing tub) since she laid the egg over an hour ago. She did poop shortly after laying the egg. I am currently just watching her as she is otherwise calm and have a call in to the vet (sadly our other avian option is closed). Does anyone know if this is normal? Could she potentially have another egg ready to lay or is protracted straining after lay a sign of something wrong? My instinct is to bring her inside and float her in a warm bath again but I also don't want to bother her if she is in her process, our ducks don't care to be picked up and get stressed going into the house alone.
Phew! I think those are all the details, thanks for any advice anyone my be able to offer.
After making these adjustments she continued to lay rough shelled eggs and she presented as egg bound (no egg laid in the morning, no poops I observed and tail bobbing, being quite rude like she was uncomfortable) 3 days ago, I gave her a warm bath and then a warm nest and she was able to lay mid day. I got a vet appointment for her the next day and she did lay an egg that morning. The vet vet assured me she was healthy and suggested dehydration or disturbances as reasons for the rough shelled eggs. I feel we have already addressed any potential for these issues in my own treatment but i was told I was "making husbandry errors" and to basically to do what I had already done regarding separating the genders and access to water. I was given no explanation for the delayed lay the day before and when I asked about nutritional or oviduct issues was told that again it was husbandry.
Today she did not lay an egg in the morning and began to bob her tail and pant about 4pm. I filled up a small tub for her outside right away and she hopped in, tail bobbed for 20 minutes, hopped out and laid an egg. I am concerned because she is continuing to tail bob and get in and out of the tub (a cement mixing tub) since she laid the egg over an hour ago. She did poop shortly after laying the egg. I am currently just watching her as she is otherwise calm and have a call in to the vet (sadly our other avian option is closed). Does anyone know if this is normal? Could she potentially have another egg ready to lay or is protracted straining after lay a sign of something wrong? My instinct is to bring her inside and float her in a warm bath again but I also don't want to bother her if she is in her process, our ducks don't care to be picked up and get stressed going into the house alone.
Phew! I think those are all the details, thanks for any advice anyone my be able to offer.
