Soft shells in mature duck

[Mollieb713]

My female duck has been laying soft shell eggs for about a month now after a really cold winter. It's finally been warm for a steady 2 weeks though and when nothing changed I've began to get concerned. It is her first mating season since I added a male to my flock, however she doesn't seem to be over mated (no missing feathers on the back of the neck). She is 2 years old and always has been a great layer & great with eating the oyster shell I put out. She laid all through last winter but this winter didn't. I have also tried adding a vitamin D supplement to the water & another separate dish of layer pellets in addition to their regular food & oyster shell & grit. I can't seem to figure out what's wrong other than this male might be stressing her? If it was due to an infection, how would I know & what what would I give her? She's acting 100% normal aside from the soft eggs. She's my baby & I just want her to get better!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

It sounds like you're doing the right things. She might have an infection or just blips in the system.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

You could try the liquid form of calcium gluconate.

 

[Mollieb713]

You could try the liquid form of calcium gluconate.

Thank you I'll give that a try! Is the dosage right on the bottle? Also if that fails, is it safe to say it's most likely infection and a trip to the vet is warranted?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

May I ask what you feed for their regular diet?

 

[Miss Lydia]

We give 1ml daily either by mouth or over a treat.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Mollieb713]

May I ask what you feed for their regular diet?

They get Purina duck feed with some peas sprinkled on top daily. On the side, there's also a dish of Purina layer feed & a dish of oyster shells & grit.

 

[907poultry]

My first instinct is a calcium issue, maybe try put a bit of calcium grit in her feed? She could be sick, or have been kicked in the side. I suggest you do as others have suggested above, liquid calcium supplement.

 

[Mollieb713]

My first instinct is a calcium issue, maybe try put a bit of calcium grit in her feed? She could be sick, or have been kicked in the side. I suggest you do as others have suggested above, liquid calcium supplement.

Thank you! I'm gonna try that and if it fails I'll be taking her to the vet.

 

[Mollieb713]

It sounds like you're doing the right things. She might have an infection or just blips in the system.

So I've been doing the calcium gluconate and adding black soldier fly larvae and there's been no change so I'm assuming she has an infection. Do you know if there's antibiotics for this that I can buy at a farm store or is it totally necessary to take her to the vet?