First egg today!

[Crazy lady 2]

Good morning to me, I was worried about my ducks all night, 13 degrees Phila, they have their own pen filled with hay and wrapped up with enough air, for them, they get left out everyday, I have to pick them up to put away, I let them roam yard Ben putting to bed around 3 pm ( feel to cold) today crazy laid her first egg, my question is do I let her out, she flew out on her own as did daddy, I fed them but I put her back in locked her in with food, I don't want to mess her up, she is my baby any advice, I do not want to incubate on my own

 

[CayugaJana]

The only thing I would do differently now she is laying eggs is offer oyster shells next to their feed. Otherwise nothing else should change. If you want to have your duck hatch ducklings, I would wait and pick up her eggs every day. It’s pretty cold for ducklings and I would let her system figure out how to lay eggs for awhile. In my mind the first laid eggs probably aren’t good quality for hatching.

 

[bluebird]

Yay! I remember when I got my first egg!!! So exciting!!!

 

[Crazy lady 2]

So I should take the eggs away and discard them, I was afraid it be to cold, could you also tell me if they are good to use for baking, I have someone who is interested, I personally couldn't do that

 

[Crazy lady 2]

I usually don't go out til 10 am because it's so cold I like to let the sun hit the yard first to warm it up but I'm so eager to see what's going on if she payed another one, I am in the learning experience so I will take any advice I can get.

 

[CayugaJana]

Yes they are just fine for baking. The general consensus is if you wash them when brought inside, you need to refrigerate. As you wash some of the protective bacteria layer off. Most duck eggs are almost 2X the size of chicken eggs, so you would just be mindful of the size differences when baking. Congratulations that is so exciting!

 

[enoryz]

They are also good to eat! I've scrambled them just like chicken eggs. Very good!

 

[Crazy lady 2]

Thank you, so I don't have to worry about them being fertilized , I am a almost 60 year old waiting for Santa, LOL I did this for my grandkids, so I said

 

[enoryz]

If you pick them up everyday then nothing to worry about. I had a pair of pekins and every egg I cracked open was fertile. I think everyone is like us on here. I got our first flock not knowing what to expect. They are now more like pets and the eggs are a bonus. We are chicken crazy over here!

 

[Crazy lady 2]

I couldn't wait til 10, I went out I now have 2 eggs, she has them buried in her little nest, I have mixed emotions take them in let friend bake with them or wait and see? Crazzy if the mommy she a white crested, daddy is a applewood so I was told not too sure about him, but both very lovable