shrinking eggs

[hfchristy]

Our ducks have been laying smaller and smaller eggs lately. Is that something that happens as they approach a molt?
We have one duck whose momma was a bantam, and she has always laid eggs about the same size as the one she hatched from (size "Chicken Medium") and almost without exception. The other duck is a Pekin who I'd been led to believe would lay fewer, but really big, eggs - instead, she lays an XL most days.
Lately, the bantam has been taking a day off here and there, and eggs some times dip down into the Small range. Not all that surprising.
The Pekin, however, has been matching the size of the smaller duck's eggs, and actually had the smaller egg of the two yesterday. Hasn't taken a day off in forever, though.

Should I be expecting my egg supply to dry up soon? Or does the changing weather change their dietary needs in a way that might do this?

Just wondering whether I should start hoarding the eggs we're getting!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Our ducks have been laying smaller and smaller eggs lately. Is that something that happens as they approach a molt?
We have one duck whose momma was a bantam, and she has always laid eggs about the same size as the one she hatched from (size "Chicken Medium") and almost without exception. The other duck is a Pekin who I'd been led to believe would lay fewer, but really big, eggs - instead, she lays an XL most days.
Lately, the bantam has been taking a day off here and there, and eggs some times dip down into the Small range. Not all that surprising.
The Pekin, however, has been matching the size of the smaller duck's eggs, and actually had the smaller egg of the two yesterday. Hasn't taken a day off in forever, though.

Should I be expecting my egg supply to dry up soon? Or does the changing weather change their dietary needs in a way that might do this?

Just wondering whether I should start hoarding the eggs we're getting!

Sometimes after they have been laying for a while I notice the eggs are a little smaller, then they will take a break and rest their bodies then start back up with normal size. My ducks molt in the fall and usually stop laying during that time. So if your in Australia then your ducks maybe getting ready to go into molt.

 

[hfchristy]

We're in New York, but the ducks had a light throughout the winter, so they may be confused. They do still have the light. I've kept it in there to try to avoid throwing them into a molt. I figured I would take it out when the actual daylight hours were the same as what they've been getting artificially, but depending on the weather, some of the "daylight" hours may be a lot less light than they're used to getting from an hour of artificial light.

I know they need a break at some point, but we have a lot of friends selling excess eggs through the bulk of the year, and no trusted source for the winter months, we figured that even if we ended up with fewer eggs in the long run, having them in the winter would be worth it.
I'm just not sure exactly what to expect (or when), having fiddled with mother nature.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We're in New York, but the ducks had a light throughout the winter, so they may be confused. They do still have the light. I've kept it in there to try to avoid throwing them into a molt. I figured I would take it out when the actual daylight hours were the same as what they've been getting artificially, but depending on the weather, some of the "daylight" hours may be a lot less light than they're used to getting from an hour of artificial light.

I know they need a break at some point, but we have a lot of friends selling excess eggs through the bulk of the year, and no trusted source for the winter months, we figured that even if we ended up with fewer eggs in the long run, having them in the winter would be worth it.
I'm just not sure exactly what to expect (or when), having fiddled with mother nature.

Since I don't fiddle with Mother nature I can't help ya there. I do know it is very imporatant that they get those breaks from egg laying to replenish their bodies.