Is there a way to stop a duck from laying eggs?

[AmandaVirus]

I have a year old Mallard that has been laying soft-ish eggs for the past several months, we've gone to the vet several times and they thought it was a calcium deficiency and wanting to go broody. So, I let her sit on infertile eggs for 28 days and gave her an extra 2,000 mg of 97% pure calcium carbonate daily the whole 28 days and after. She is sitting in her nest straining another soft egg (I can feel it through her abdomen). I'm stressed and worried about her as she is an imprinted house duck. At this point the only solution seems to be to stop her from laying all together, the vet mentioned a hormone injection, but it was only temporary. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[buff goose guy]

Ducks will lay eggs its what they do.

i wouldnt give her hormones unless her life was in danger, but keep an eye on here

What is her diet ?

 

[Amykins]

Her life could be in danger if she keeps having to strain to lay soft eggs, or worse, becomes egg bound. If it's not calcium, I have no idea what could be going on. If the hormone shot will temporarily stop her from laying, it might be the best option. That way any internal irritation can heal and it'll buy more time to sniff out the underlying cause.

 

[DucksAndGardens]

It could be a Vitamin D deficiency as well. Without vitamin D they can't absorb the calcium needed. Try getting some vitamin D drops and put it in the water. There could also be a problem with her shell gland. If she's an indoor duck then it's most likely a vitamin D issue because she isn't getting natural sunlight. If she's an outdoor duck then I would think it's a shell gland issue. Either way the vitamin D won't hurt. If you want to stop her laying you could try shortening the days for her by putting her in the dark. Ducks and chickens generally slow down or stop laying in the winter because of the lack of light. So if you only give her 4-6 hours of light a day and close up the coop or keep her in a covered cage, the lack of light should trigger her to stop laying.

 

[AmandaVirus]

Ducks will lay eggs its what they do.

i wouldnt give her hormones unless her life was in danger, but keep an eye on here

What is her diet ?

It's a little past keeping an eye on her, this has been going on since October. Almost everyday (except when she was broody) she lays around with her tail bobbing and looking horribly uncomfortable and in pain for several hours. When she isn't doing this she acts perfectly fine and healthy! She eats poultry layer pellets, various greens (no spinach), tomatoes, peas, and anything she finds outside.

Her life could be in danger if she keeps having to strain to lay soft eggs, or worse, becomes egg bound. If it's not calcium, I have no idea what could be going on. If the hormone shot will temporarily stop her from laying, it might be the best option. That way any internal irritation can heal and it'll buy more time to sniff out the underlying cause.

Yes, that is what I'm worried about! The egg that she laid yesterday morning and this morning were both pretty normal with a hard shell, so it can't be calcium. Something must be up with her reproductive system. When she is laying around straining you can see the egg pointing out in an odd position in her abdomen, like it's pointing up in her oviduct. It presses up against her leg and makes her limp. She didn't lay the whole time she was broody, I would think that would let anything heal if it needed to. I'm planning on at least calling the vet and telling her whats happening now.

It could be a Vitamin D deficiency as well. Without vitamin D they can't absorb the calcium needed. Try getting some vitamin D drops and put it in the water. There could also be a problem with her shell gland. If she's an indoor duck then it's most likely a vitamin D issue because she isn't getting natural sunlight. If she's an outdoor duck then I would think it's a shell gland issue. Either way the vitamin D won't hurt. If you want to stop her laying you could try shortening the days for her by putting her in the dark. Ducks and chickens generally slow down or stop laying in the winter because of the lack of light. So if you only give her 4-6 hours of light a day and close up the coop or keep her in a covered cage, the lack of light should trigger her to stop laying.

I talked to the vet about vitamin D, she said it was unlikely because she does get outside for a couple hours everyday, also the last two eggs have actually had a nice hard shell (although they were weird shaped). She would have a fit if I closed her up early, I don't think I'd be able to do that.

 

[buff goose guy]

are the layer pellets makeing her lay more eggs ?

 

[Kaessa]

are the layer pellets makeing her lay more eggs ?

I don't think they would, it's just an extra source of calcium.

 

[needlessjunk]

I remember a post not too long ago about an egg bound duck. They put her in a dark room and cut back on the protein levels to try to keep her from laying. You could try that but it's not a permanent solution. I would really look into the shot and see if you can get her calcium levels up while she is taking a break. Poor thing.

 

[4-Hduckgirl]

When we got new ducks they sometimes ended like that. My mother bought a grain that helps with calcium. The company is called Layena you should check it out. We also feed them crushed egg shells and a feed that is oyster shells. Hope this helped!