Egg Eating?

[slippednfell]

I have four one year old ducks. One male and three females. We've been getting eggs but then all of a sudden none... I started watching them more closely and twice, I've seen them eating what appears to be an egg. I knew chickens might eat their eggs and that it is a difficult habit to break. Do ducks also eat their own eggs? If so, how do I stop them from doing it?

 

[Isaac 0]

Yes, ducks will eat their own eggs, the most common reasons they do is, one being they are not getting enough calcium in their diet so they turn to their eggshells for a calcium source, and sometimes they will eat their eggs if they have been fed raw eggs in the past, they basically eat them as a treat.

For egg eaters, throw a few golf balls in their nest, they'll try to eat them, but will fail to do so, and eventually will stop eating the real ones. Always make sure to provide oyster shells on the side as a calcium source.

 

[Niche Flock]

Also try collecting eggs earlier. Sometimes if my ducks are left in the coop for too long and they get hungry/bored waiting, they'll peck and egg. Not a good habit to have. Free range oyster shell helps too, as mentioned. I use dummy eggs to remind ducks where to lay, but also to discourage that behavior. I wash them frequently and switch up the nests so it's more believable.

 

[slippednfell]

Yes, ducks will eat their own eggs, the most common reasons they do is, one being they are not getting enough calcium in their diet so they turn to their eggshells for a calcium source, and sometimes they will eat their eggs if they have been fed raw eggs in the past, they basically eat them as a treat.

For egg eaters, throw a few golf balls in their nest, they'll try to eat them, but will fail to do so, and eventually will stop eating the real ones. Always make sure to provide oyster shells on the side as a calcium source.

Thank you! Very much like chickens. I guess I didn't realize the ducks needed extra calcium as well.

 

[slippednfell]

Also try collecting eggs earlier. Sometimes if my ducks are left in the coop for too long and they get hungry/bored waiting, they'll peck and egg. Not a good habit to have. Free range oyster shell helps too, as mentioned. I use dummy eggs to remind ducks where to lay, but also to discourage that behavior. I wash them frequently and switch up the nests so it's more believable.

Actually, that could be part of it. They can come and go from their "coop" as it is partially on land and partially in the pond and they have created an access gap so they can get out on the open pond at will. But I have noticed that if we haven't checked for eggs a couple times of day, there are no eggs at all. We will have to check more often.

 

[slippednfell]

@Isaac 0

I see in your signature line that you have quite a variety of ducks and chickens. How do your call ducks get along with the larger ducks? I have a Cayuga, Pekin and two mallards. I would love to add some call ducks to the group.

 

[Isaac 0]

@Isaac 0

I see in your signature line that you have quite a variety of ducks and chickens. How do your call ducks get along with the larger ducks? I have a Cayuga, Pekin and two mallards. I would love to add some call ducks to the group.

They get along great, but none of my heavyweight breeds are males, I wouldn't recommend keeping a twelve-pound male Pekin in an enclosure with a one-pound call.

 

[slippednfell]

They get along great, but none of my heavyweight breeds are males, I wouldn't recommend keeping a twelve-pound male Pekin in an enclosure with a one-pound call.

No, I wouldn't see that having a good outcome. Perhaps once my male (Cayuga) passes away, I can add some call ducks to the group.