MY FIRST PEKIN EGGS ATLAST!!! They just started laying!!!

[Chicken7777]

Hi, everyone i ment to post this earlier but its been complicated for me to post the pics..........The eggs seem to be small, arent duck eggs supposed to be larger? i have two pics below, the second pic with four eggs( i know have a total of six eggs with one that cracked by accident:/) has a chicken large egg from the store(my layers are only month old cant wait to have fresher eggs!) and they kind of look the same only the duck eggs being more oblong...
The pekin hen doesnt seem to sit on them but i cant really judge her on her sitting due to how the coop isnt ready yet and she just layed them where she had the chance...things have been very uncomfortable for my chicks and ducks since i started building the new coop. I know that allot people say that pekins dont sit on their eggs but i have read ALLOT on people having their hens sit on the eggs and hatch and raise their ducklings, is that genetics on parental carage?
Also i am deciding on what to do, to either incubate them or...? i would like ducklings soon so how long would it take for them to hatch, and what do you reccomend me buying or making for them to hatch? can I have them under a light or do i have to buy an incubator?
Well i appreciate the help thank you!

 

[kandyg_99]

My first few duck eggs were kind of small too,But they've gotton more oblong with time.And I'm not sure if your pekin will set on the eggs,you could try and leave a few in her nest and see what happens.If she leaves them then you'd need an incubator to hatch the eggs.

 

[doubleostud]

Congrats, I have a pekin that lays more than most of my chickens, but she wont sit so I have to incubate them, speaking of I have 15 due to hatch anytime.

 

[vfem]

My pekin's are way to young to lay... but the lady I got my eggs from said her's don't set the eggs and she only ever had one who would. I just stuck 'em under my silkie.

 

[gretchenhau]

My peking's lay their eggs in the pond, lots of fun fishing them out, I am not sure they will hatch after sitting in the water?

 

[doubleostud]

Quote:
One of the benefits of having a silkie, they will hatch anything.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Pekins were bred to produce more eggs, so the broodiness has been mostly bred out of them. It is possible for them to brood the eggs, but I wouldn't bet on it. If she did, she would probably lay at least 15 eggs before going broody.
As for the size, just like pullets, young duck eggs will be small when they first start laying, they should get bigger the more that she lays.
If you decide to incubate them you will need an incubator. Ducks need a lot of humidity, and a light by itself would dry the eggs out. Most duck eggs take 28 to hatch, except for calls and muscovies.

You should wait at least 7 days before setting the eggs, so you will get more to set! Unless you plan on buying (or making) 2 incubators, you don't want to have a staggered hatch.

Congrats on the eggs!! My silly ducks (pekin, rouen, and cayuga) are still freeloaders, haven't found an egg yet!

 

[Chicken7777]

thanks guys for the help. Well my duck strarted laying last sunday so now its a week and i have 7eggs originally being 8 since one of them cracked, so did she lay an extra egg? Lol. Well since she started laying eggs what should i feed her? I just bought oyster calcium so that she does not lose her own calcium when laying. Anything i shoul know on feeding and taking care of her? Also since the first eggs are small does that affect how the ducklings will hatch compared to those in the future with a larger egg? Thank you all!

 

[shelleyd2008]

It could make it harder for them to hatch. They won't have as much room to move around in there. You can feed her regular chicken layer feed, that would be enough calcium and everything that she needs.

 

[Chicken7777]

thanks again.....what do you guys reccomend in me buying an incubator, and where?
I would love to hatch these cutie ducks....thanks again