Soft shells in mature duck

[HeatherKellyB]

I could have written this thread myself! My Pekin Duck has also been laying soft shelled (or actually shell less) eggs for too long. I tried giving Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D3. Then I increased it to two tablets a day. I'm still having no luck. She doesn't lay much anymore and that's really worrisome. Like OP mentioned, Honey Boo Boo has always gobbled up the oyster shell like it's candy. Since I have 2 drakes in with the ducks, I worry about feeding layer feed. I tried giving her a special treat of layer feed in multiple ways and she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately now I'm unable to get their normal feed since the feed mill burned down, so my big ducks aren't too happy. I'm following along with this. I think my next step is getting some calcium gluconate and doing half Calcium citrate + D3 and half a dose of calcium gluconate. I worry that she'll end up with too much Calcium since I don't have a vet that will even consider seeing poultry. I've thought about an antibiotic so I'm curious about how this goes with your duck @Mollieb713 In the back of my mind, I'm worried that her shell gland is damaged, maybe due to having so many antibiotics in 2020. That's probably not possible for the two to impact one another but I think we all think about what we've done in times like these.

Edited to add: It's so crazy how similar this is. I've also been giving dried black soldier fly larvae! They love it, but it's done nothing that I can see for Honey Boo Boo shell issue. I've given my duck Baytril on multiple occasions. It's not advised in poultry, so I should put that out there as a side note because I usually end up getting a reply about that.

 

[Mollieb713]

I could have written this thread myself! My Pekin Duck has also been laying soft shelled (or actually shell less) eggs for too long. I tried giving Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D3. Then I increased it to two tablets a day. I'm still having no luck. She doesn't lay much anymore and that's really worrisome. Like OP mentioned, Honey Boo Boo has always gobbled up the oyster shell like it's candy. Since I have 2 drakes in with the ducks, I worry about feeding layer feed. I tried giving her a special treat of layer feed in multiple ways and she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately now I'm unable to get their normal feed since the feed mill burned down, so my big ducks aren't too happy. I'm following along with this. I think my next step is getting some calcium gluconate and doing half Calcium citrate + D3 and half a dose of calcium gluconate. I worry that she'll end up with too much Calcium since I don't have a vet that will even consider seeing poultry. I've thought about an antibiotic so I'm curious about how this goes with your duck @Mollieb713 In the back of my mind, I'm worried that her shell gland is damaged, maybe due to having so many antibiotics in 2020. That's probably not possible for the two to impact one another but I think we all think about what we've done in times like these.

Edited to add: It's so crazy how similar this is. I've also been giving dried black soldier fly larvae! They love it, but it's done nothing that I can see for Honey Boo Boo shell issue. I've given my duck Baytril on multiple occasions. It's not advised in poultry, so I should put that out there as a side note because I usually end up getting a reply about that.

I have a vet appointment for her this upcoming Monday so I'll let you know what they say & any meds they give in case it can be of any help to you!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I have a vet appointment for her this upcoming Monday so I'll let you know what they say & any meds they give in case it can be of any help to you!

That's really kind of you and I appreciate it I ended up having to start Honey BooBoo on antibiotics for possible EYP after finding some lash material in the duck house. I'm hoping this will help but I'd love to know what your vet says. Thanks again

 

[PicklesMom]

That's really kind of you and I appreciate it I ended up having to start Honey BooBoo on antibiotics for possible EYP after finding some lash material in the duck house. I'm hoping this will help but I'd love to know what your vet says. Thanks again

@HeatherKellyB here we go again with our special needs girls! My Pekin Susan is laying soft shell eggs. We usually give Mazuri waterfowl maintenance + Oyster shell, last week she had a soft egg, I gave some layer feed that I had a small bag of for a few days and black soldier fly grubs. I thought maybe it was because I had given her a handful of spinach, though it really wasn't much. Today there was a soft shell egg in the water bowl when I went out in the morning. She's acting fine, eating, running around on the lawn now. I may call the vet Monday.

 

[PicklesMom]

@HeatherKellyB here we go again with our special needs girls! My Pekin Susan is laying soft shell eggs. We usually give Mazuri waterfowl maintenance + Oyster shell, last week she had a soft egg, I gave some layer feed that I had a small bag of for a few days and black soldier fly grubs. I thought maybe it was because I had given her a handful of spinach, though it really wasn't much. Today there was a soft shell egg in the water bowl when I went out in the morning. She's acting fine, eating, running around on the lawn now. I may call the vet Monday.

p.s. saw your last post was a while ago, how is Honey Boo Boo now?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

p.s. saw your last post was a while ago, how is Honey Boo Boo now?

She's the same. Still laying soft eggs. It's like her shell gland is inactive. I'm looking into possible treatments that may help her shell gland. She's on another round of antibiotics again at the moment. Thank you for asking What did the vet say when you took her last time?

 

[PicklesMom]

She's the same. Still laying soft eggs. It's like her shell gland is inactive. I'm looking into possible treatments that may help her shell glad. She's on another round of antibiotics again at the moment. Thank you for asking What did the vet say when you took her last time?

We haven't been to the vet for this one, Susan is my chronic bumblefoot girl. Feet are looking ok though

 

[HeatherKellyB]

We haven't been to the vet for this one, Susan is my chronic bumblefoot girl. Feet are looking ok though

Is Susan a Pekin Duck?

 

[PicklesMom]

Is Susan a Pekin Duck?

She is! I found this egg in her run this morning, similar to others I've seen on these threads.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

She is! I found this egg in her run this morning, similar to others I've seen on these threads.

Hopefully this is a one time thing