Hubby would like to have duck eggs. Being the poultry obsessed girl I am I supported the idea enthusiastically, even though I'm not a big fan of duck eggs. I love my Muscovies (my only breed of duck) but they aren't regular layers and I want all the ducklings I can get, so darn, need another duck! But what should we get. I know what I've read but I wanted real world advice. Any would be greatly appreciated!
My experience is runners only - but my 3 are laying quite well at 6.5 months old. I see normally at least 2 eggs a day, and often 3 from the 3 of them. Blue laid one in front of the water dish yesterday in the duck yard. Ally laid one on the deck next to that water dish last night and had another in the duck house this morning. They've been laying since they were 5 months old (started laying 03 Jan)
what about khaki campbells. I hear they lay about 300+ eggs a year. OK calling all campbell moms and dads lets hear from ya.
My 2 Pekin Gals have laid every day of the year except when in a heavy molt (it only cut the egg laying down by 9 days) and the one time both girls went broody. My Jumbo was broody for 3 weeks, my regular and younger gal was only broody for about 11 days LOL Michelle
Golden 300 Hybrids are the best layers, due to Hybrid Vigor (google it) but they do not breed true. Ours started at 19 weeks old and has laid an egg a day since Sept. 2010. She laid all through the winter. This is much better than our Black Swedish who started at 27 weeks and only lays about 5 eggs per week, as well as them being much smaller. G300 Eggs are huge. She also seems to be a lot quieter than our Black Swede. She is also much prettier than what you see in the Metzer pic...search BYC for some pics.
When I use to have khaki cambells they would give me an egg a day.I also liked them because they were great foragers,breed well and had good natural instincts to hide when a hawk came.
Khaki Campbells, Indian Runners and Welsh Harlequins will all lay around 300 eggs per year. None of them can fly. Only the Welsh Harlequins have retained their broody instincts.
