First duck egg earlier than expected!

[Kayjax86]

Found a duck egg today for the first time, my oldest ducks are 17 week old Pekins. I knew it was slightly possible but didn't quite expect it so soon!

 

[Quatie]

Congrats on your first egg! My Pekins also had started laying earlier than expected.

 

[Kayjax86]

Congrats on your first egg! My Pekins also had started laying earlier than expected.

I was thrilled! Do they lay consistently once they start or does that take awhile?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I was thrilled! Do they lay consistently once they start or does that take awhile?

Depends on the duck.

 

[Quatie]

I was thrilled! Do they lay consistently once they start or does that take awhile?

I agree it depends on the duck. Mine lays pretty much every day. I really wish she would take a break. She never molted last year. I do know others have had similar experiences with Pekin laying almost every day.

 

[ruthhope]

I agree it depends on the duck. Mine lays pretty much every day. I really wish she would take a break. She never molted last year. I do know others have had similar experiences with Pekin laying almost every day.

My son's pekins started laying at 17 weeks old last August. His larger female has laid an egg daily straight through the winter and up until now. Her beak is pale but she has good feathers and lots of energy. I wish she would take a break.

His smaller crested pekin stopped layin in December; she restarted end of February but we don't think she is laying daily. Her egg shells became very fragile despite layer feed, but she guzzles down oyster shell. She laid a perfect egg at my feet 3 days ago and that is part of the difficulty knowing whether she lays daily. We find eggs in the garden as she doesn't always lay before the coop is opened for the ducks to free range.

 

[Quatie]

My son's pekins started laying at 17 weeks old last August. His larger female has laid an egg daily straight through the winter and up until now. Her beak is pale but she has good feathers and lots of energy. I wish she would take a break.

Mine had a really pale beak. They pale as they pull more calcium from their body. My girl also has weak shells too. We started to supplement her calcium levels twice a day with calcium citrate and the color in her beak has come back.

You can see it was getting pretty pale here.

This one I took today. Her beak is much more orange and that is all do to the calcium supplement. Now she just needs a good molt.