Overproductive ducks?

[Geoduck]

Hi,

I've been lurking in the forums for a while and really appreciate all of the information folks are willing to share. We have two young magpie ducks, both female. They started laying about a month ago, and have regularly given us two eggs a day, almost every day since they started. However, this morning, when my husband went out to get the eggs, he found NINE eggs, all together in a little dug out nest area. He's sure he didn't miss any yesterday or the day before, and their night pen is pretty small, so they're easy to see. So, my question is, is this normal and/or healthy? Won't they wear themselves out laying like that? Is there anything I should do to slow them down? I'm not complaining, but nine eggs from two birds just seems a bit... freakish.

Any help would be much appreciated!

PS-- They eat Mazuri waterfowl maintenance, oystershell and most of our table/veggie scraps.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

What an exciting find!! Is it possible that nest had been buried deep enough to be hidden up til now? Sometimes ducks move eggs around for suprising distances. Could they have laid those eggs on the days you only found one egg?
There have been some reports of ducks that have laid two eggs in a day on occasion or even for a little stretch. I think I even recall a person posting about three one time. Nine is just weird!! You would think it would be a terrible strain on a duck if they did that!
In any case it seems you have some very productive Magpies. Makes me want to pay the extra $$ for Mazuri too!!

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Hmmm no way could they have laid 9 eggs in a day..but contact the goat lady,,she is on the forum and she really knows her ducks, not saying that others on here don't.

 

[goosedragon]

D'Angelo N Va. :

Hmmm no way could they have laid 9 eggs in a day..but contact the goat lady,,she is on the forum and she really knows her ducks, not saying that others on here don't.

If you have ever butchered laying ducks( yep boo, hiss whatever) You would know that it just is not possible for a duck to produce that many eggs in a short time. There will usually be two eggs on the Production line in various stages of production with maybe a little lump that marks the latest started, If a duck gets egg bound she might lay 2 eggs in the same day just because the first one was stuck. anything beyond that you are just fooling yourself. there just isn't that much room inside a duck! Ducks however are very good at hiding eggs and in the winter they can bury them deep and then dig them out when it starts to warm up I suspect this is what happened here and both ducks might have buried their eggs in the same spot. Sorry about being so graphic but I wanted to make the point valid.​