"Normal" first eggs

[cheezenkwackers]

I have a sixth month old Welsh Harlequin who started laying about two weeks ago. I also have three Khaki Campbell hens who are a few years old. It has been interesting seeing all the different "normal" eggs my young duck has laid, so I thought I would share some pictures of them. We ate her first couple of eggs which were a little smaller and came at random times of the day and in random places. The picture below is of her last five eggs which were a little more consistent (in order laid clockwise starting with 12:00). As you can see there have been normal size eggs (although slightly smaller than my mature girls), a giant double yolked egg, a tiny egg, and there was even one shell-less egg (I didn't include) that she laid in front of me, one afternoon, after laying a normal egg in the morning. She has currently not laid for last two days but I expect she will start up again in a day or two.

In the bottom picture, the top egg frying is from my young duck, the bottom is from one of my older girls. The yolks of my older girls are larger, lighter in color, and definitely fertile (see the white bull-eye in the center of the yolk), hers are not (tiny white dot in the center of the yolk). I am planning on putting some eggs in the incubator in a few weeks but I suspect hers will be infertile because she is so young. Anyway, I am pretty sure all of these are normal eggs and actions as my older girls laid like this when they were young, so I thought it might help some of you who are getting your first eggs to not worry. It takes time for their bodies to figure this egg laying thing out!

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Thank you for clarifying for the newer-to ducks' people!!!

 

[Texag87]

I have a sixth month old Welsh Harlequin who started laying about two weeks ago. I also have three Khaki Campbell hens who are a few years old. It has been interesting seeing all the different "normal" eggs my young duck has laid, so I thought I would share some pictures of them. We ate her first couple of eggs which were a little smaller and came at random times of the day and in random places. The picture below is of her last five eggs which were a little more consistent (in order laid clockwise starting with 12:00). As you can see there have been normal size eggs (although slightly smaller than my mature girls), a giant double yolked egg, a tiny egg, and there was even one shell-less egg (I didn't include) that she laid in front of me, one afternoon, after laying a normal egg in the morning. She has currently not laid for last two days but I expect she will start up again in a day or two.View attachment 1689346

In the bottom picture, the top egg frying is from my young duck, the bottom is from one of my older girls. The yolks of my older girls are larger, lighter in color, and definitely fertile (see the white bull-eye in the center of the yolk), hers are not (tiny white dot in the center of the yolk). I am planning on putting some eggs in the incubator in a few weeks but I suspect hers will be infertile because she is so young. Anyway, I am pretty sure all of these are normal eggs and actions as my older girls laid like this when they were young, so I thought it might help some of you who are getting your first eggs to not worry. It takes time for their bodies to figure this egg laying thing out!
View attachment 1689347

I like the egg pictures in the pan.

 

[QuackInn]

This is helpful! Thank you!

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Right!? I read on BYC before I joined that if you feel right below the belly and there is a dent on the duck then they are going to start laying pretty soon. She had a dent when I felt it and I said to myself that she was going to lay tomorrow and she did!