Frozen Eggs from Kahki Campbells

[Cosmo]

I have three Kahki Campbell ducks that have each been laying an egg a day for the past two weeks. When the first one started laying she layed out in the yard instead of in the duck house. The second duck started laying inside in a nest that she made and then the first and second followed suit. To encourage them I put a fake egg in the nest also.

This morning I went out to find all three eggs AND the fake egg out in the yard, frozen., The real eggs were cracked from the freeze. It got unusually cold last night, around 20 F.

Has anyone seen this behavior before? I am wondering if they took the eggs out because they cracked inside or did they bring all the eggs outside for some other reason. Their pen is well secured so no predators can get in.

I love my KC ducks. I have two drakes and three ducks. They free range during the day and go in at night and love to forage all day in the creek and pond.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi Cosmo, lovely ducks you've got. I think that yes, your duck's will "toss" any eggs that crack. And yes eggs freeze and crack. So you probly have things figured out already.

 

[Carcajou]

Hi Cosmo, and

! Beautiful ducks you have!

I have Khakis also and really enjoy them. You may want to consider keeping only one drake per three ducks. The drakes can get aggressive not only with each other but can also overbreed and possible kill the ducks.

 

[Cosmo]

Thanks, I have been thinking of getting rid of one of the drakes but so far they have been cooperative. There is one that is dominant and the second seems to respect that. I'll keep an eye on them though in case they get too aggressive.
That is really fascinating that they will toss cracked eggs. How do they know?

 

[animallover505]

I guess they feel the crack, know it will never hatch, and toss it.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Wish I knew. I saw my Pekin roll out eggs that had nothing obviously wrong with them, she'd just decided they werent what she wanted to sit on anymore. I think those were probly unfertile and icky.

 

[Blemay]

I have 6 Pekin and 5 Kahki but 2 of the Kahki look almost bluish, might be hard to see in the picture. They definitely range from dark to the lighter blue/grey color. Is that normal? Are they truly Kahki Cambells?

 

[Britesea]

if you are talking about the darker ones in the background- they look awfully dark for KC's. Khaki Campbells are called that because they are supposed to be the color (khaki) of the British uniforms during the Bohr War, I believe. Ours are a little darker than what I would call true Khaki, but they are definitely a soft brown in color, with black beaks and legs; the drake has a dark green head (like a mallards, only more muted) with a green bill and orange legs. They aren't show quality, so the colors are not perfect, but that should give you a general idea. I would send a pic, but for some reason I'm not receiving it in my email,

 

[laughingdog]

The ducks can taste smell hear when tap on and feel when manuver around their eggs, same as chickens ect. I've watched my scovy duck and OEG chicken each help hatch eggs and check in various ways even making sudden loud noise while mouthing eggs, then later i find the young had stopped short of trying to get into air cell and died, or had some problems later after hatch in life with adopted eggs (these two breeds are bomb proof and haven't had trouble so far with their young). so unless young or girst time layer/mother, or production breed really nervious and lacking ample brain power, i trust their judgements, as saves a lot of headaches and heartaches.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I have 6 Pekin and 5 Kahki but 2 of the Kahki look almost bluish, might be hard to see in the picture. They definitely range from dark to the lighter blue/grey color. Is that normal? Are they truly Kahki Cambells?

I see the Pekins. The dark ducks have a stance that looks very "Runner"' to me! Plus color does not look typical KC. Check my KC drake, not show quality, but light. They do come in "light" and "dark"