Unusual eggs

[Maryam.]

Hey,

My 2years old pekin,cookie , is having a hard time.

Normally she lays an egg everyday and the eggs are healthy and fine but since a month ago her eggs have a very soft eggs and she laid in unusual places and times(in the middle of the day when they were out playing) which usually my other duck,daisy, ran to eat the egg as soon as she laid!! I started to give her more calcium ever since.

Since 2 weeks ago she started losing feather which I guessed she’s molting and she stopped laying. She was always so happy and so attached to me and Daisy and always came to sit by my side and let me pet her. I’ve been keeping an eye on her, Now, she usually tends to be alone in dark places, aggressively peck her feathers -even one day I found her wing bleeding! Which was a horror- , she looks depressed and is scared of me and even of Daisy and the most unusual thing is since a few days ago when I get close to her to check on her, she panics and lay a 3cm soft shelled egg instantly!!! This has happened twice or three times now! I was too concerned about her, I called the vet immediately , but their vet(which is not bird specialist and always too relax) says it’s nothing and it’s related to molting. I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with molting, I have seen her go through molting before. She looks depressed, scared and alone, she even doesn’t play in their little pool anymore. Have you had any similar experience with your ducks before? Do you have any idea how should I help her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Maryam. She may have an infection by the way she is acting since this is not the norm for her. Is she the one you had on antibiotics? But soft shell eggs can happen and not mean much maybe at end of laying cycle or at beginning of laying cycle. But to lay many then something is not right. What type of calcium are you using? If she is molting then laying can be out of whack until she stops all together until molt is finished. Gives their body time to replenish the calcium it's used while laying too. How does her belly area feel? any discharge from her vent? Sounds like she is uncomfortable if she is off by herself and maybe experiencing pain?

 

[Maryam.]

@Maryam. She may have an infection by the way she is acting since this is not the norm for her. Is she the one you had on antibiotics? But soft shell eggs can happen and not mean much maybe at end of laying cycle or at beginning of laying cycle. But to lay many then something is not right. What type of calcium are you using? If she is molting then laying can be out of whack until she stops all together until molt is finished. Gives their body time to replenish the calcium it's used while laying too. How does her belly area feel? any discharge from her vent? Sounds like she is uncomfortable if she is off by herself and maybe experiencing pain?

Infection related to her reproductive system? She was not on antibiotics because she was fine, Daisy was on antibiotics.
I will send the photo of the calcium supplement that she’s taking, I bought it from a petshop and it’s written on it Avian calcium.
I think her belly area is fine, I touched it and she didn’t have any specific reaction .. and her poop looks normal, Usually in summer they have diarrhea but i guess it’s normal because of their food.
About the pain that was what I thought but their vet said she looks fine and she doesn’t need any further examination.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully then it’s all related to molting. And the soft eggs are from that too.

 

[Maryam.]

Hopefully then it’s all related to molting. And the soft eggs are from that too.

I really hope so Can ducks get depression during molting?
This is their calcium supplement

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well don’t know if depression but mine do seem to be uncomfortable and stand offish while going through it. Calcium looks good .

 

[quackiemama]

Mine are cranky ladies when they are molting and by the looks of them I don't blame them. They look so uncomfortable.

 

[Maryam.]

Well don’t know if depression but mine do seem to be uncomfortable and stand offish while going through it. Calcium looks good .

Thanks for your help
I spent more time with cookie and spoiled her, she’s back to normal and spends the day playing with her sister again. She just sleeps a little more than before though. Also she didn’t lay weird eggs anymore.

 

[Maryam.]

Mine are cranky ladies when they are molting and by the looks of them I don't blame them. They look so uncomfortable.

They look so uncomfortable indeed. Cookie is not in that featherless phase yet

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for your help
I spent more time with cookie and spoiled her, she’s back to normal and spends the day playing with her sister again. She just sleeps a little more than before though. Also she didn’t lay weird eggs anymore.

Great news!! Happy for you and Cookie!!