Egg issues

[austroberta]

The ongoing saga of my duck Sage. Sage has been doing some odd egg things since she has been on her meds for the scratched cornea and bumblefoot. She's has been laying a nice, hard-shelled egg in the morning and then, off and on, laying a soft shelled egg in the later afternoon. Today she went to her favorite spot this morning to lay an egg, but didn't do so. She got up and seemed to act normal...eating, drinking, etc. Later on in the day, I saw her sitting beneath our Cedar tree, panting ever so slightly. It was a somewhat hot day, but that particular spot was cool and breezy, and none of the other ducks seemed to be affected by the heat. I've read that panting can point to egg issues, but I don't see that she has any other signs of being egg bound. She seems to walk normally, eat normally, etc. I'm keeping my eye on her, but don't when I should step in, when she seems to be acting normal otherwise.

She has been eating her oyster shell calcium (I've seen her shovel it in).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just keep an eye on her, last week I noticed one of my Runners Pearl off laying by herself not hanging with the group and anyone who has Runners knows that isn't normal. when she did get up she seemed to be moving slower than normal. So I gave her a ml of calcium gluconate that evening next day she was back to her speedy normal self. I can't tell if she laid because there are 4 others laying the same color egg but she was def feeling better. Calcium gluconate TSC can help them pass and egg if one is stuck.

 

[austroberta]

Just keep an eye on her, last week I noticed one of my Runners Pearl off laying by herself not hanging with the group and anyone who has Runners knows that isn't normal. when she did get up she seemed to be moving slower than normal. So I gave her a ml of calcium gluconate that evening next day she was back to her speedy normal self. I can't tell if she laid because there are 4 others laying the same color egg but she was def feeling better. Calcium gluconate TSC can help them pass and egg if one is stuck.

Thanks!

I panicked and put her in a warm tub and gave her a bit of Tums. Nothing happened, so I let her out of the tub to forage with her flock mates. This morning, my husband found an egg in their house and then she laid an egg in her usual spot. I wish I knew why her eggs are so wonky. I'm hoping it's all the commotion of the med/bumblefoot protocol which is throwing her universe out of whack. I know it's throwing mine out of whack.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Def could’ve been the meds.

 

[austroberta]

Def could’ve been the meds.

I'm hoping it's the meds, because the meds are eventually going to stop. Apart from a slight blip when she was first laying eggs, her eggs laying has been perfect...nice, strong shells.

It's so weird to me that her body would spit out 2 eggs a day when she's been under the weather. You think her system would want to put all its energies into healing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very strange usually when they feel bad they don’t lay. @casportpony might have an answer about that.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks!

I panicked and put her in a warm tub and gave her a bit of Tums. Nothing happened, so I let her out of the tub to forage with her flock mates. This morning, my husband found an egg in their house and then she laid an egg in her usual spot. I wish I knew why her eggs are so wonky. I'm hoping it's all the commotion of the med/bumblefoot protocol which is throwing her universe out of whack. I know it's throwing mine out of whack.

Can you talk to your vet about this? I know there are some types of respiratory infections that can affect the reproductive tract.

 

[austroberta]

Can you talk to your vet about this? I know there are some types of respiratory infections that can affect the reproductive tract.

I actually did mention it and she mentioned that the meds might have something to do with it. I don't believe Sage has any respiratory ailments, but then again, I didn't know she had bumblefoot until her foot was bleeding. Viruses/bacteria are also opportunistic and strike readily when the immune system is down, so anything is possible now.

Apart from an odd moment here and there, Sage seems to be back to her duck self. She's even taken to doing the surfboard (when she climbs on top of her sisters during mating season, when there are no drakes around.)

 

[austroberta]

I discovered that the 2nd soft shelled egg in the afternoon is not from Sage, but another one of my ducks. One of my ducks laid an egg by the water bowl and it was still warm, but Sage was resting in an area that was not close at all. So now the mystery is who does the egg belong to? Both my adult runners laid their eggs in the morning, which leaves my 2 Welsh Harlequin ducks, who were both born on April 15. I think that would make them too young. So maybe that means that one of my adult runners are laying 2 eggs, although they've never had problems before. Such a head scratcher!

 

[austroberta]

I figured out the mystery. My almost 2 year old runner duck Fiori is the owner of those soft shelled eggs. I was out with her this afternoon when they were foraging and when I turned my back for a minute, she must have laid another soft shelled egg. Although I didn't catch her in the act, her pelvic area was pulsating a bit and clear liquid was coming from her vent. I haven't been getting 2 of the green eggs that I usually get from my runner ducks, just the one from her sister. I thought she might just be extra good at hiding the egg. Apparently not.

Not that I am 99% sure where the soft shelled egg is coming from I have to ask 'What is going on?!' She seems absolutely healthy, with a strong appetite, the same really strong reflexes (she's lightning fast) and the same level of activity. I do not see any respiratory issues...no odd breathing. No nasal discharge, etc.

She was the one duck whose egg production was insane. She started laying in Mar of 2018 and didn't stop until February of this year. I think she took a month or two off, and then she ramped up again. Is it possible her calcium stores are shot? Even then, why is she laying the egg in the late afternoon? It seems as if her natural cycle is off.

I do provide 2 constant bowls of oyster shell. To be quite honest, I don't know if she is partaking or not.

If anyone has gone through something similar, I would love to hear about your experience.

Thanks!!