The Duck Thread

[Julie Birb]

So it came out just like in the photo absent the soft shell? It looks like the yolk with its membrane and just the chalaza. But then again, maybe I do not know what I am talking about. Good thing there's Kathy and others here.

 

[Amiga]

What is this? I mean, I know its an egg, but I poked it and its soft and what is the long thing attached to it, an umbilical cord or something? I'm freaking out, Lily already laid her egg this morning. And since I've had her, all her eggs have been hard and great and well....normal. What would cause her to lay a second egg today and for it to be like this? I'm very concerned.

This happens from time to time - an extra egg, no shell. You may want to add another 50 to 100 mg of calcium to her diet daily (I have used calcium gluconate, but find that calcium citrate is easier to use and less expensive). Egg laying involves so many factors - calcium, calcium to phosphorus ratio, vitamin D, light, temperature….

I would not panic at this point. A friend who raises Pekins says she has seen many instances of this kind of shell-less egg, and it's been benign. I have deal with this with a few of my ducks - so far, so good, though I do extra supplement if we have more than one or two a week.

 

[duckies1230]

So it came out just like in the photo absent the soft shell? It looks like the yolk with its membrane and just the chalaza. But then again, maybe I do not know what I am talking about. Good thing there's Kathy and others here.

Yea she laid her egg normal as can be around 5 am like clockwork. Around 11 I left them outside and she was in the one baby pool then beside it digging in mud. Ryleigh pointed out 2 big mushrooms that grew in the yard, then we saw something by the pool, I thought it was a mushroom but when I looked that is what I saw. We ran inside got my camera and took the pics. I'm baffled by this. I hope she's OK. I double checked the eggs in her nest to make sure they were all hard. I mean, it couldn't have came from anyone else

 

[Julie Birb]

Yea she laid her egg normal as can be around 5 am like clockwork. Around 11 I left them outside and she was in the one baby pool then beside it digging in mud. Ryleigh pointed out 2 big mushrooms that grew in the yard, then we saw something by the pool, I thought it was a mushroom but when I looked that is what I saw. We ran inside got my camera and took the pics. I'm baffled by this. I hope she's OK. I double checked the eggs in her nest to make sure they were all hard. I mean, it couldn't have came from anyone else

You are right. It isn't something else random that just appeared there. It is obviously what appears to me to be just the yolk and chalaza without the egg white and shell. I am wondering aloud without really knowing if that second egg was not complete because she had depleted her stores of calcium for the day when she laid the first hard one at 5am?? Anyone know. I am speculating. Is egg formation and laying hard on a bird?

 

[duckies1230]

You are right. It isn't something else random that just appeared there. It is obviously what appears to me to be just the yolk and chalaza without the egg white and shell. I am wondering aloud without really knowing if that second egg was not complete because she had depleted her stores of calcium for the day when she laid the first hard one at 5am?? Anyone know. I am speculating. Is egg formation and laying hard on a bird?

That sounds like a possibility. I'm new to the whole laying eggs thing. I've only had lily for not even 2 weeks. Her former owner said she lays a good egg an day. So from my understanding, this is a first. I wish I knew why.

 

[Julie Birb]

That sounds like a possibility. I'm new to the whole laying eggs thing. I've only had lily for not even 2 weeks. Her former owner said she lays a good egg an day. So from my understanding, this is a first. I wish I knew why.

Cute Lily. She is new to you. I wanna know too. In time someone will come along and post.

 

[duckies1230]

I was searching threads for an answer. One thing I came across was hop on top...lol..@ Amiga may be able to help more with this, I saw her name in the thread I was reading. But JoJo was in the pool on top of Lily a few mins before this happened. She started yelling and not in ecstasy so I went over and it frigtend him and fell off of her still having ahold of her neck. So I tapped him on he head to let go which he did and got out of the pool. A few minutes later we came back and saw the egg. Maybe instead of scaring the **** out of her we me and JoJo literally scared her enough to pop something out. Oops, I was trying to help!

 

[Ren2014]

Coyotes came in last night a killed 4 of my muscovies. My big drake, a 1yr old white hen and 2 dark 4 month old hens. The risks of free ranging. Tonight the rodeo starts. Everyone in at dark. Should be interesting. The ducks love sleeping in the yard

So sorry to read this. My heart goes out to you

Good luck getting them all rounded up and locked up tight tonight.

 

[Ren2014]

What is this? I mean, I know its an egg, but I poked it and its soft and what is the long thing attached to it, an umbilical cord or something? I'm freaking out, Lily already laid her egg this morning. And since I've had her, all her eggs have been hard and great and well....normal. What would cause her to lay a second egg today and for it to be like this? I'm very concerned.

I'm so glad you posted this. I have been seeing the same thing but I'm not sure it's a 'second egg' for us. I get one every day. It ranges though from sometimes it's a soft shell with all yolkk, sometimes it's a normal shelled egg except where the chalaza was attached. The spot was indented and cracked. I'm pretty sure it is from one of the Pekins. I have seen her with the chalaza hanging out and being dragged around.

 

[Amiga]

Yes, hop on top, especially with young ducks, can force eggs out early - before they have a shell. At least, I think that's what happens, because we saw a bit of that when our all girl flock came of age.