The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: The Woodsiders on March 11, 2014, 06:59:43 pm
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Hi, can someone please advise regarding our ducks laying soft eggs, we have recently moved in to our own smallholding and we inherited 3 Aylesbury ducks, one duck and 2 drakes, we understand that the fox got another duck, presumably the drakes mate, anyway, we have had 2 eggs and both have been soft shelled, they are fed on layers pellets and wheat as a treat in the afternoons, do they need to be given Grit / oyster shell? they are confined to the large and I do mean large pond, but can get onto the bank for greenery etc and do have a wander round the field.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
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Ducks can lay soft shells for a number of reasons. Some lay them when just coming into lay or later in life. It can also be a sign of calcium deficiency (if they have been laying heavily they can exhaust the calcium reserves in their bones). The odd one can be due to a shock or just a bit of a misfire. I have also had a duck that laid very well for 4 years and then just started laying soft eggs. No matter how much oyster shell / lime flour etc she had she has not laid another hard shelled egg in 2 years.
I would certainly make sure she has access to oyster shell and see if that helps. Is she coping ok with 2 drakes? Particularly at this time of year being out numbered can leave the girls pretty beaten up from all the attention. It might be worth getting another girl or two.
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I had a spate of soft shells a few weeks ago (I think it was just one duck but not sure). I bunged in a big tray of mixed grit and, touch wood, all seems well now (I got ten hard shelled eggs today from nine ducks - guess I just missed one yesterday!). I don't know whether it was just a coincident and it was one of the new layers getting sorted or whether it really was a lack of grit but worth a try.
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Thank you for your replies and advice, we have started putting grit in with their feed but will now put in a separate bowl to see if that will help, we will get some more girls and fingers crossed they all get on.
Thanks again
Mark
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I put out grit separately, they help themselves to what they need. You should get yourself more girls, it might be stress due to too much male attention. :&>