muscovy egg laying question

[carriehelene]

At what approx age do scovies lay their first egg? I have a male and female, approx 4 months old. Didn't figure the female would lay her first egg until next spring (don't know why I think that, just do). Anyways, I was in their pen today, which the chickens do go into btw, and there was a huge egg in there. Looks like a torpedo actually. So did one of my older hens figure that was a good hiding place to lay, or has Daisy duck layed her first egg? Donald seems interested in mating (I think, he's always chasing her around), so does that mean she's of age already? Thanks!

 

[keeperofthehearth]

They usually start laying around 6mo. If Daisy is 4mo. now she may begin laying this fall before it gets too cold. My Muscovies had "pullet" eggs. Their first eggs were smaller than their later eggs... about the size of a large chook egg. You can tell a Scovy egg by the waxy shell. They look a bit "off white" w/ some having greenish splotches or tint to them. VERY thick waxy shells.


Here is a pic of Scovy eggs w/large brown chook egg center for comparison

1 DZ Scovy eggs in Jumbo egg container

 

[crperdue]

Mine are just over 4 months old and one has started laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=385666

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Mine are just over 4 months old and one has started laying.

Scovy?​

 

[crperdue]

Quote:
Yep

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I am so jealous, my girls are over 4 months and aren't laying yet, actually they are almost 5 months.

Course the year old stopped laying today. Her drake died and she won't have anything to do with the new drake, all eggs were really big but infertile. I think she has a thing for DH. When he went on vaction for 2 weeks she stopped laying. Started back up when he came back home. Now she is taking a rest.

So the young gals won't eat the Layer feed, they want the grower feed and don't want anything to do with oyster shell, either. Coarse can't blame them, its soooo hottt. My original girls started laying at 6 months. Guess these girls will too, just in time for baking breads and goodies.

Anyone else think its strange everyones Scovies are laying early this year?

Must be the feed, what feed are these 4 monthers eating?

 

[crperdue]

(stupid double-post)

 

[crperdue]

Re-figured my math and shes a week shy of 5 months old.
But shes been laying for a week and is the only one out
of 19 ducks that is laying.

I fed flock raiser from hatch until a week or so ago. I switched
layena (sp?) and began offering oyster shell free choice.
The day after I switched I got the 1st egg. Odd huh?

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Sounds as if she has matured a bit earlier than some of the others. Figure on 2 -3 wks after she allows herself to be bred before the first egg.

 

[savingdogs]

Well this answers my question of when to expect the first egg from my muscovy, which are five months old now. I witnessed duck SEX today...yuck. Does that correspond in any way with when they lay their first eggs? Seems like the drake thinks she is ready.