Duck egg smell & new layers stopped laying!

[kristy1129]

Hi! I'm in Indianapolis, IN and have 3 Indian Runner ducks that were born in August and started laying Feb. 26th. Between the 3 of them, we got about 10 eggs, then for the last 4 days, nothing. The weather got colder...1 day they had a bit less food (because we'd run out)...is this normal since they just started??

Another thing...this is my first experience with duck eggs. I was washing them and I get sick from the smell of the egg through the shell. (I'm super sensitive to smells/fumes). One that cracked open really made me sick. Do all duck eggs smell so strongly?

On the upside, my 3 year old loves them! He eats them hard boiled. (less smell for me that way, BUT the only way he wants to eat them.) We got the ducks for him because he's allergic to everything and wanted an uncontaminated food source...

Thanks so much!

Kristy

 

[Tivona]

What sort of odor is it? I am sensitive to fumes, particularly man made fumes. Not so much with the natural stuff. My duck eggs don't have much of any odor. I have heard a few times that duck eggs can taste or smell fishy or "different" but mine seem fine. I think that diet has a major factor in this. What are you feeding and what can they get into to eat? Any chance they are eating something that is causing the smell?
One thing to watch for is making sure they have plenty of fresh thick bedding in the nesting area so they don't get the eggs too dirty. I had them getting them muddy/poopy before and that did smell a bit but could be washed off. But from what you said it sounds more like its the eggs themselves, correct?

 

[Oregon Blues]

Changes in weather and lack of food can both cause them to stop laying for a day or two.

I don't know about smells, My duck eggs are nearly odorless. I can smell duck mud when I wash them, but that washes off.