soft-shelled duck eggs

[rlhbond]

Anyone ever have a problem with a duck that layed soft-shelled eggs? I have 3 young girls and I think it is a young cayuga that is just starting to lay. Over the last 2-3 weeks I've been finding a soft-shelled egg laying around the barn every 3-4 days. I have a rouen that's been laying for about 5 weeks but she has a nest in the hay bales and her eggs have been normal. The only reason that I think it could be the rouen is because the soft-shelled eggs are white and I've read that cayuga eggs have a blackish bloom.

 

[FenDruadin]

It's pretty common for ducks to lay odd eggs when they first start--soft-shelled, double-yolked, tiny, enormous, strangely shaped--I've seen all kinds of things. However, if she's doing it fairly regularly, you probably should start giving her some oyster shell or other calcium supplement. She may not be getting enough for whatever reason, and that will make it difficult to form shells.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Yeah, my ducks layed soft shelled eggs a lot when they started laying and then when they weren't getting enough oyster shell. I still have a chicken that does the same, although I don't know which one it is. I think she must not like the oyster shell because they have plenty.

 

[nettie]

to fix the problem, feed your duck crushed oyster shell. you can get it at a feed store or online. you can also give your ducks kale to eat, which will help. i would do this quickly, so your duck doesn't have a problem becoming egg bound

 

[rlhbond]

Thanks for all the advise. Sorry for the delayed post. I've been on vacation. I've been adding oyster shell to their feed but maybe I need to add more.

 

[Wifezilla]

Even with the oyster shell it can take a while for them to "figure stuff out". I got 4 "jello eggs" last week. This week, all have well formed shells.

 

[rlhbond]

I started out getting double yolkers. Then they changed to single yolked eggs but some are soft shelled. I get about 4 regular eggs a week. She must know that some will be bad eggs because she lays the good eggs in her nest and the soft shelled eggs are layed in the pool or around the pool. She's been laying for a couple of months now.

 

[miraclesnow]

The feed and seed store in Mocksville has the oyster shells. The cost is about $5.00 for a 5 lb. bag. I think that this will help. For our chicks we add it in with their feed or add it to the sand grit. Hope this helps. I am looking for hatching eggs maybe a couple of ducks but mostly chickens if you know of someone in the area I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you very much.
[email protected]

 

[Oregon Blues]

Ask about a bigger bag of oyster shell. A fifty pound bag should be $10-$12. It doesn't spoil and lasts forever.

It takes the egg factory a couple of weeks to work all the kinks out. Eggs can be odd when a bird first starts laying. It's normal.

 

[Amiga]

Most of the time, oyster shell or other source of calcium helps.

However, sometimes that doesn't seem to work. Has anyone had success helping a duck that lays soft shelled eggs in spite of being feed layer feed with free choice oyster shell and regular treats that include dandelions and kale?

Are there other solutions?