Shell-less eggs, no membrane even?

[Kangasox]

One of my ladies seems to be having a hard time. We have been keeping an eye on her the past week. I found one egg without a shell or membrane at all in the coop, and thought it weird. Today I went out to put them up and found her alone sitting, tail down and a shell-less membrane-less egg behind her. I brought her in and put her in a warm tub with Epsom salts. She pooped and had a white soft thing that looks like a membrane with some albumin in it (pic). Ideas? I've been giving calcium citrate the past week.

 

[Amiga]

Romy has had this problem, too. Hugs.

Since she's probably drunk some of the Epsom salt water, please be sure to provide her with lots of fresh water now that she's had a laxative.

How much calcium citrate have you given? When Romy has that (it has been a while, but she still needs regular boosts of calcium), I crush half a 250 mg tablet and sprinkle that on thawed peas (about two tablespoons) and give that to her especially at bedtime.

I keep that up for four days or more, and sometimes do it twice a day. I also add Ca citrate to all the Runner flock's food - they are all females and a few of them have thin shell issues from time to time, so I like to provide the boost. This is in addition to eating laying food and having free choice oyster shell.

Romy is 7 or 8 years old, by the way. She's laying these days - her eggs are fine mostly, but just last week I needed to give her her "special." She really seems to enjoy the treat.

 

[Kangasox]

@Amiga thanks. I have been really unsure how much to give, I've been doing a 1/2 tsp powdered in everyone's water once a day. Laying has been up (not sure if that's connected) and Dribble Drop seems back to herself. No more creepy eggs

.

 

[Amiga]

1/2 teaspoon powdered calcium citrate? How many milligrams is that? I am used to just crushing or dissolving th 250 mg tablets. Glad her eggs are looking better!

 

[Kangasox]

@Amiga 1 1/2 tsp is 635mg, so 1/2tsp is 215ish? BUT, I'm putting it in their water which is a gallon-ish? So I don't know how much they are realistically getting. I guess I could do it over peas for specific ducks.

 

[Amiga]

For thirteen ducks, I add 1500 mg every two or three days to their food. That's just over 100 mg per duck.

I agree - with water, how much do they actually drink, as opposed to splash?

If I have a duck with definite egg difficulties, we have a little secret meeting, just the two of us. The ducks know what I am doing, so they sneak away from the flock for our private pea party.

And that's when I'll put between 100 and 200 mg calcium citrate in the dish.

 

[Kangasox]

Sounds good. They have free Oyster shell but that's hard to monitor. I will try the every few days and keep an eye on specific ones. I am glad someone else has a many duck problem. We are up to 14 with a goose, and even though I swore no more this year, 3 ducklings are somehow arriving in 2 weeks...

thanks @Amiga

 

[Amiga]

hugs