Suprise in the nest box.

[tpotter01]

I got home from work last night and I went to the coop to collect the eggs. I was hoping to have 3 nice eggs. 1 green from the Americana, one brown from the RIR and one cream colored from my mutt RIR. They are all about 5 months old now and they started laying this week.

Well in the nest box there were 3 eggs. One green, one brown and then to my surprise there was a second small brown egg in there. It was a different shade of brown from the other so I am pretty sure it was from a different hen. Then in the opposite corner of the coop I found the larger cream colored egg. 4!!!

Now, I do have 3 other females in the coop but they are just 2 months old. I think it may be a bit early for them to start laying. Then I got thinking. I have a 5 month old Swedish Blue duck who also shares the coop at night. She has been entertaining the rooster often so maybe this cream colored egg is actually hers and all this time I thought it was coming from a chicken. It is a little larger than the other chicken eggs. This would mean that my 2nd RIR may not be a mutt and was just a little later to get started laying.

Anyone know a good way to tell if this is indeed a duck egg? This picture is her very first egg. They are a little larger now.

 

[jenjscott]

The best way I know to tell is to break it. A duck egg has a different texture to the shell, the white is almost a little blue and when you fry it, it has almost a rubbery texture. A least that's how my duck eggs were.

 

[warmfuzzies]

Duck eggs feel kinda waxy on the outside, very different then chicken eggs.

 

[tpotter01]

Well I ate a lot of these eggs and I can not say I really noticed any difference in the "texture" or flavor. And I can not say I really noticed any sort of difference in the feel either.

Now I am a total newbie when it comes to raising poultry so maybe I just not seeing the difference. But these have to be duck eggs. I just can't imagine a 2 month old RIR starting to lay.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Occasionally a chicken will lay two eggs in a day. If you had a second brown egg, it's possible that the chicken that laid it might have doubled up?

 

[tpotter01]

That is always a possibility, but there was not a 22 hr. period between the two eggs. She would have done it quick. And there was a noticeable difference in the egg color.

I guess I will see if I have 2 brown again this afternoon I am going to go with the light color are the ducks.

 

[Indychick]

I have seen on several blogs that duck egg whites are much more clear and the yolks are sometimes more orange. Here are a few posts that might help you (with pictures):

http://cindy50.blogspot.com/2009/03/look-familiar.html

http://twelveacres.blogspot.com/2009/03/glorious-day.html

I have no personal experience but came across this blog earlier this week and thought it was interesting!

 

[countryboy88]

Duck eggs have a smoother shell than a chicken egg, also there shell is thicker than a chickens is.

As for taste difference you can definitely tell a difference the duck egg will have a darker yoke and a much fluffier texture when cooked.

Hope that helps

 

[CovenantCreek]

Quote:
It happens. You said one was smaller than usual and a different color -- that could easily have been laid by a pullet who also laid a normal egg. Some of mine have popped out 2 in a day, usually one of them is not normal.

 

[what was i thinking]

i think it looks like one. i think you can easily tell the difference just in apperance. ducks being more opaque.