Found two eggs yesterday from our ducks

[Meischay]

So we had a really bad storm the other night and yesterday morning when I went to let our 4 month old ducks out their pen and there was a white blob in the middle of poo. I picked it up and realized it was an egg. I then looked to my left and there was another one buried in the hay.

One was very large and the other one was the size of a small chicken egg. I washed them off and put them in a bowl.

I can not tell yet if both are girls since they are only 4 months old, but I am thinking they are.

Today we do not have eggs. I thought once the ducks started to lay that I would get eggs every day. Is that not true? Can the one still be a boy and both eggs came from one duck?

I have noticed the one duck getting on top of the other duck but I read that since there is no drake two females will do that sometimes.

 

[Fishsticks06]

So we had a really bad storm the other night and yesterday morning when I went to let our 4 month old ducks out their pen and there was a white blob in the middle of poo. I picked it up and realized it was an egg. I then looked to my left and there was another one buried in the hay.

One was very large and the other one was the size of a small chicken egg. I washed them off and put them in a bowl.

I can not tell yet if both are girls since they are only 4 months old, but I am thinking they are.

Today we do not have eggs. I thought once the ducks started to lay that I would get eggs every day. Is that not true? Can the one still be a boy and both eggs came from one duck?

I have noticed the one duck getting on top of the other duck but I read that since there is no drake two females will do that sometimes.

If these are new layers, don’t expect them to be productive the first week. Also, the size can differ for age. New layers will acclimate to egg laying very soon. Give them a few weeks and you should have plenty of eggs. Also, they both are girls most likely.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What breed? And Congrats on the eggs!!

 

[Duckworth]

Young duck hens often don’t lay consistently right off. It may take a few days or weeks for them to develop a fully mature laying cycle. When my ducks started laying, they were quite good at burying or hiding their eggs in the bedding. I had four, hatched together in mid-April. One started laying in late September. The second started about ten days later. The third took another month and the fourth didn’t start until after the winter was on its way out in February. Once they got going, they laid everyday for that first season. The second year, they were pretty consistent at everyday, but once two of them molted in late summer, they stopped for the year. Only one laid daily through both winters. Now, we have six ducks and average four eggs per day. We were getting five, but one is trying to be broody and one appears to be going through a mild molt. One of our original ducks was badly injured by a raccoon in late winter and I don’t think she has laid since.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

First time layers often produce irregular eggs, like soft-shelled "rubber" eggs, very tiny and very large eggs before their body adjusts to the egg-laying business. Weather the duck cares for the eggs or not depends on her personality, i have some ducks who lay their eggs as they go, so i find them in the pool, somewhere in the grass or in the drinking bowl. Others share a nest and take turns in laying…
Give your ducks some time, a good calcium source like crushed oyster shells and enjoy the eggs!

 

[PirateGirl]

One of my ducks always laid small chicken sized eggs for the first year/lay cycle, then after molt/winter break when she picked up laying again her eggs were much larger. As long as the egg is normal in appearance (inside and out) I wouldn't worry. Every bird lays different sized eggs. Also how many eggs they lay can vary. I would say a good layer (chicken or duck) lays about 5 eggs a week. Sometimes you may get more, sometimes less. It's normal to skip a day sometimes.

 

[Meischay]

What breed? And Congrats on the eggs!!

They are pekin

What breed? And Congrats on the eggs!!

 

[Meischay]

So it is Saturday and we have not had any eggs. We are checking every day. Is this normal? I am wondering if they are laying when they are out of the pen during the day and hiding them. If that is the case will them gather them up and put them in one spot?

I do have two nests that they created. One on the ground inside the pen and one inside the old dog house that we converted for them.

Thanks

 

[Duckworth]

Mine create new nests often. Chances are good that yours are hiding eggs. When my first one started laying, I got one egg, then she seemed to stop. A few days later, I got another egg. Then, I realized that she had buried several others underneath the nest. I don’t think they will gather them into one place, but they might. Mine haven’t. Mine are in an enclosed area, so there aren’t a lot of places to hide eggs. They have three or four favorite spots.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So far we were really lucky here: Our ducks have over 5000sqft to roam and there would be plenty of hidden spots to hide a clutch of eggs, but everybody is laying their eggs in the duck-house. They have built several nests that they share and i have equipped every nest with a wooden egg to remind them where to lay. So far that agreement has worked out fine.