Pekin egg laying

[spadarlin24]

I am new to raising ducks and chickens. I have one female pekin and two male rouen that have been mating for about a month now. They will all be 18 weeks on the 6th of September. My pekin laid her first egg Wednesday morning. She didn't lay today. They don't roam around the yard. They have a big pen they stay in. I haven't been able to make any laying spots for them yet. My questions are..... Will her first egg be fertile? Why didn't she lay today? Do they normally start laying everyday once they lay their first egg? Please help! Thanks in advance!!!

 

[SmallFarmUSA]

When ducks first start laying, they are a bit unpredictable. They won't necessarily lay every day, or you may get odd shaped or shell-less eggs. What your duck is doing is completely normal. Also, I wouldn't guarantee the eggs are fertile for at least the first week of her laying.

 

[spadarlin24]

The first egg looked perfect! Beautiful white and very clean. I was shocked. I went ahead and put it in my incubator to see what happens. I am hoping to find another one tomorrow. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong. I was also shocked that she laid so soon.

 

[SmallFarmUSA]

Everything sounds fine! 4 1/2 months is maybe a little earlier than some, but again, it depends on the duck, and it's certainly not abnormal.

 

[spadarlin24]

Awesome!!! Thanks for the info!!

 

[Lengerich Farms]

I have a question to piggy back off of this.... I have a pair of Pekins, and have witnessed them "getting busy".... They should be about the same age, give or take a week or so. The problem is I have them in with chickens, and don't have an incubator.... Will she nest? Will the chickens try and take over the eggs and get broody? I didn't plan on hatching and raising ducklings, I wanted the male for thanksgiving and the female for eggs, but if I can get some free ducklings out of them before that happens, I'll take em!

 

[spadarlin24]

I have chickens with mine too. My chickens haven't messed with duck eggs that I know of. I have read and heard that if you have a broody hen you can put the duck eggs under the chicken and she will hatch them. One of my friends has pekin ducks and none of them are broody. My chickens are still real young and haven't laid but one egg a piece so they aren't broody yet. Plus they are all just laying on the ground cause I don't have nesting areas yet. Hope this helps some.

 

[Lengerich Farms]

@spadarlin24 that does help some. I'm brand new to chickens and ducks too, but the hens I have are all 2.5 years old. The ducks were bought this spring from TSC. They all seem to get along, really ignore the ducks. Funds are limited, so I didn't want to get an incubator. I only really want eggs so the ducklings would be a bonus really. Thanks for the reply!

 

[SmallFarmUSA]

Pekins aren't very likely to go broody. If you have an especially broody hen, she may steal the duck eggs, but otherwise, as was said, you would have to put them under a broody hen.

 

[Lengerich Farms]

Thanks @SmallFarmUSA!