Egg layers. Who laid this egg?

[MrsChompers]

I have several young(7mths) female ducks (pekin and khaki campbell). I have seen them actively trying to mate for about a month now. Recently, I was walking the grounds in areas where they frequently go. Checking fencing etc. because we let them free roam the property during the day. Near a small bush I found a single egg. The egg was small, ivory colored and had an indented soft spot. I read that the first eggs laid would be small and not as good as the next eggs laid. The issue is that I have not seen the ducks come back to visit this egg. I did not touch it even though I really wanted too! I went and checked the duck pen and I did not find any other signs of nesting or other eggs anyplace. I'm wondering if I should keep them in their pens because they are young they may not know what they are doing. I also have no idea which of the females laid this egg. How can you tell if your duck is egg laying. I have been watching them for a week now. They have not shown any interest in the egg or the area where I found it. This is the first time we have had female ducks. All our previous ducks are males.

 

[Jessi.Smith]

I am not an expert, but I think my pekins started laying around 7 months. They laid in random places until they found a spot they liked.... sometimes in the middle of a field, sometimes by their pen, other times by the water trough. Their eggs a little off white.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have several young(7mths) female ducks (pekin and khaki campbell). I have seen them actively trying to mate for about a month now. Recently, I was walking the grounds in areas where they frequently go. Checking fencing etc. because we let them free roam the property during the day. Near a small bush I found a single egg. The egg was small, ivory colored and had an indented soft spot. I read that the first eggs laid would be small and not as good as the next eggs laid. The issue is that I have not seen the ducks come back to visit this egg. I did not touch it even though I really wanted too! I went and checked the duck pen and I did not find any other signs of nesting or other eggs anyplace. I'm wondering if I should keep them in their pens because they are young they may not know what they are doing. I also have no idea which of the females laid this egg. How can you tell if your duck is egg laying. I have been watching them for a week now. They have not shown any interest in the egg or the area where I found it. This is the first time we have had female ducks. All our previous ducks are males.

Take that egg and place it inside their coop with some nice fluffy bedding around it. Give them a good hint as to where egg laying should be done. More than likely they were just passing by and the egg dropped out. Happens here

 

[MrsChompers]

Take that egg and place it inside their coop with some nice fluffy bedding around it. Give them a good hint as to where egg laying should be done. More than likely they were just passing by and the egg dropped out. Happens here

This morning I found 2 eggs inside the duck house and another tiny odd shaped egg just laying in the yard. I left them alone and I also placed the first egg that I found inside with them. I am still unsure of which duck may have laid these eggs. Once I let the ducks out of the pen in the morning. They do not return to it until the evening. They seem to know when it is bedtime. Is it okay to just leave the eggs in there all day because they do not seem to be interested in these eggs at all. I don't feed my ducks inside their enclosure. We feed them in a shady place near their pool area because this is where they prefer to be a majority of the day. Do you think that if I put their food inside their pen it would encourage them to go back and maybe check up on their eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Unless one was to go broody they aren’t going to care anything about the eggs going broody means they want to sit on the eggs to hatch them . But there is no way to get them to to care about them other wise. You’ll need to take the eggs up or they will begin to rot if it’s hot where you are. You can take the eggs and eat them,bake with them or give them away.

 

[MrsChompers]

they are young though. what are the odds that one may be broody. I told my 7 year old son that if we couldn't get the ducks to sit on their eggs then we would have to eat them. He was horrified at that possibility. Thanks so much for your replies.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Excellent advice. Eating them is healthful and delicious. Pekins rarely go broody KCs more often but these are probably too young to care. Do you have a drake?

 

[MrsChompers]

Wehave 4 males and 3 females. They females are new to our flock this summer.