Duck pooped out egg yolk (no shell)

[AlyssaB4]

My duck is in her first laying season, she lays 6-9 eggs and then stops for a month or so. She just started again this past Sunday. She laid Sunday, Monday; she didn’t lay Tuesday, Wednesday; then she finally got the egg out Thursday (yesterday) and now today she pooped out a lot of egg yolk.

I didn’t see any egg shell come out. We are at the vet now getting X-rays, but I wanted to reach out on here and see if there’s a way to know if she now has an internal laying condition (but she did get the yolk out), or just an issue of not forming a shell this time (maybe calcium, she is on layer feed though)?

 

[AlyssaB4]

My duck is in her first laying season, she lays 6-9 eggs and then stops for a month or so. She just started again this past Sunday. She laid Sunday, Monday; she didn’t lay Tuesday, Wednesday; then she finally got the egg out Thursday (yesterday) and now today she pooped out a lot of egg yolk.

I didn’t see any egg shell come out. We are at the vet now getting X-rays, but I wanted to reach out on here and see if there’s a way to know if she now has an internal laying condition (but she did get the yolk out), or just an issue of not forming a shell this time (maybe calcium, she is on layer feed though)?

Also her other first two eggs had sturdy shells. And the one that she finally got out yesterday

 

[HollowOfWisps]

How old is she exactly and what breed? How long has she been laying for in total? What feed is she on and what extras do you give her? Is she offered oyster shells on the side? I would go pick up some Calcium Gluconate (at most farm stores although may not be in the poultry section, but in other livestock sections). Give 1 ml per day over something she will eat or give orally via syringe if you are comfortable with it.

 

[AlyssaB4]

How old is she exactly and what breed? How long has she been laying for in total? What feed is she on and what extras do you give her? Is she offered oyster shells on the side? I would go pick up some Calcium Gluconate (at most farm stores although may not be in the poultry section, but in other livestock sections). Give 1 ml per day over something she will eat or give orally via syringe if you are comfortable with it.

Mallard, about to be 1 year old on the 14th. She started laying on Christmas Eve morning. She laid 9 then stopped. She had an infection that was treated a month later when we found it. The vet did x rays and didn’t see any reproductive damage. She started laying again after that, 6 eggs (one day missed and then the day after laid 2). And then this round of laying started Sunday. She hasn’t ever really laid on a schedule and usually lays later and later in the day as she goes. Like this time Sunday was the morning, then Monday was 12 at night! I think she has issues getting them out.

She’s fed mazuri maintenance and then layer feed when she’s laying. She gets oyster shells usually too but this time I just did the layer feed. She got half a tums on Monday for the faster calcium, as I thought she was having issues that day too. Everyday they get romaine lettuce and dried mealworms sometimes. An occasional berry or some krill.

The vet is giving her a calcium shot today, and then I will look into getting the calcium gluconate. Is that a liquid form?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Mallard, about to be 1 year old on the 14th. She started laying on Christmas Eve morning. She laid 9 then stopped. She had an infection that was treated a month later when we found it. The vet did x rays and didn’t see any reproductive damage. She started laying again after that, 6 eggs (one day missed and then the day after laid 2). And then this round of laying started Sunday. She hasn’t ever really laid on a schedule and usually lays later and later in the day as she goes. Like this time Sunday was the morning, then Monday was 12 at night! I think she has issues getting them out.

She’s fed mazuri maintenance and then layer feed when she’s laying. She gets oyster shells usually too but this time I just did the layer feed. She got half a tums on Monday for the faster calcium, as I thought she was having issues that day too. Everyday they get romaine lettuce and dried mealworms sometimes. An occasional berry or some krill.

The vet is giving her a calcium shot today, and then I will look into getting the calcium gluconate. Is that a liquid form?

Yes it is liquid. Oyster shells should always be offered on the side for laying hens. Not having oyster shells can cause egg problems including eggs without shells even when they are on layer feed. How much lettuce is she getting daily? Also mallards tend to be more seasonal layers. Some lines can lay up to 120 eggs per year, but a domesticated Mallard in general will only lay 60-120 eggs per year. That means for 240-300 days of the year is is perfectly normal for her to not lay eggs.

 

[AlyssaB4]

Yes it is liquid. Oyster shells should always be offered on the side for laying hens. Not having oyster shells can cause egg problems including eggs without shells even when they are on layer feed. How much lettuce is she getting daily? Also mallards tend to be more seasonal layers. Some lines can lay up to 120 eggs per year, but a domesticated Mallard in general will only lay 60-120 eggs per year. That means for 240-300 days of the year is is perfectly normal for her to not lay eggs.

Her and the drake eat one lettuce heart a day usually. And ohhhh, I had seen something about the layer feed being enough so that’s why this week i figured she’d be fine. I’m getting the calcium to start tomorrow since today she’s getting a shot of it. And then I’ll leave out oyster shells too.

The X-rays showed no shell inside or fluids left, but she is getting an antibiotic shot in case. Is internal laying only when the yolk stays inside? Or is this instance considered internal laying, because I wasn’t sure if it is just considered a shell-less egg since she did get it all out, technically “laying it”.

 

[bubbyduck]

How is she doing?