Muscovy eggs?

[thereseiam]

I have three Muscovy hens and one drake in my hen house with a bunch of chickens of a variety of breeds. I *believe* that all of my hens are colored egg layers (brown or blue) and recently I have been getting some odd shaped (more oblong than oval, if that makes sense, with a more pointed tip) eggs that are white with heavy reddish speckling. Are these Muscovy eggs, or has another type of hen recently reached laying age?

Also, when I go to crack these eggs, the membrane beneath the shell is very, very tough--much stronger than 90% of the chicken eggs we've had.

Thanks!

Therese

 

[DuckLady]

That's a duck egg!

The reddish speckling should wash off. It means she bled a little getting it out.

 

[thereseiam]

Wow, my first duck eggs! I sure didn't expect them to start laying this early in the year.

So will the eggs get bigger over time like how the pullets start off laying small eggs and they get bigger as the hen gets older?

I can't wait until spring so I can let a batch of them hatch out--will this winter EVER be over??

Thanks for responding, Terrielacy!

Therese

 

[Hippie Chickie]

In a few weeks the eggs will be rounder and jumbo sized. I had the same thoughts as you when my skovies started laying.

 

[thereseiam]

Oh my gosh!

I think that what I thought were duck eggs are actually turkey eggs!

I just googled 'bronze turkey eggs' and they are definitely speckled like the eggs that I have. And my eggs are definitely speckled, it's not blood, it's all around, even speckling, all over the egg.

I thought that turkey hens didn't start laying until mid to late spring though? And how old do turkey hens have to be to start laying? Mine are only about 6 months old. Could these eggs be fertile this early in the season? I do have a tom in there with them. I definitely want to raise a clutch of turkeys, but it's way too early in the season to let the girls do it themselves, and I don't have an incubator or brooder.

I know that this has turned into a turkey post--but it started out as a duck post, so I wasn't quite sure where to go with this. I'm so confused! LOL

Therese

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
It has been a very odd fall-winter this year for Laying-Hatching. all kinds of reports of birds starting to lay way early.