My Pekins are Laying! Should I move her egg?

[GwenFarms]

Some of you have followed my story about the pekin hen I got from Craiglist. She has been with her mate for a week tommorow. She had been laying an egg every other day, or so when she was by herself. After putting him in with her she stopped laying. When I went out to feed them this morning she had laid an egg in the corner. Its not under any shelter, or even in a real nest. I don't know why she didn't lay in the area I had made, unless the drake was sleeping there. I have noticed he tends to take her spot. Should I put some nesting material (hay, or straw) under it and a shelter over it? I had someone tell me that her nest needed to be elevated to stay dry. Is this true?

TIA!
Gwen

 

[wynedot55]

i dont know much about ducks if anything.but i do know this it sounds like she has choosen her nesting area.an i would not move or bother her egg.because if you do itll prolly upset her.now the 1st few eggs she lays prolly wont be fertile.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

My pekins tended to lay anywhere they wanted....Elevated is GOOD...not high obviously so she can get to it, but if it's just ground level your eggs will get muddy/nasty and you don't want that. You *could* try putting the egg where you want her to lay, or just make where she laid it more comfy...whatever you choose. But, probably leave the egg out *somewhere* so she knows where to lay & establish a routine after a couple days. As stated, I'd wait until atleast a weeks worth of eggs before even testing fertility. I'm not sure where you're at, but once my girls started laying, it became an everydayer

Good luck