About Egg Laying (Boba’s First Year?)

[Horou]

Hi Backyard Chickens, earlier yesterday, we woke up to Boba’s first egg that she rolled to the front of the pen door and waited for us to pick up the “foreign object”.

I’ve dubbed her eggs as “foreign object” only because when she was younger, I tried giving her plastic colour eggs, and she would always run away and give the signature eye bobbing stare at the “object”.

First time mama seeing my duck Boba lay eggs. For some info: Boba is reaching 5 Months old in 3 days. Got a few questions:

- Is my duck in pain?
- will laying eggs long term cause her pain?
- will she at some point in the year stop laying eggs?
- I read online that first year layers will likely lay throughout the year, and then the next year rounds will likely stop during winter time. Is this true or false?
- what can i do to prevent boba from having soft shelled eggs? Her egg yesterday & today are both hard as hell.

- i would like to keep boba away from any kind of pain. She’s also an indoor duck.
- I searched up some other ways to lessen her egg laying but:
1. Boba’s afraid of the dark
2. I dont want to bring her to do any surgery either

Hope to hear some happy news! (And bad news, i need to hear both!) i just need some assurances

 

[Horou]

- Are we allowed to take the eggs as soon as she lays them, or should we wait?
- any other advice for a first time duck layer?

 

[Rose the Legbar]

Hi Backyard Chickens, earlier yesterday, we woke up to Boba’s first egg that she rolled to the front of the pen door and waited for us to pick up the “foreign object”.

I’ve dubbed her eggs as “foreign object” only because when she was younger, I tried giving her plastic colour eggs, and she would always run away and give the signature eye bobbing stare at the “object”.

First time mama seeing my duck Boba lay eggs. For some info: Boba is reaching 5 Months old in 3 days. Got a few questions:

- Is my duck in pain?
- will laying eggs long term cause her pain?
- will she at some point in the year stop laying eggs?
- I read online that first year layers will likely lay throughout the year, and then the next year rounds will likely stop during winter time. Is this true or false?
- what can i do to prevent boba from having soft shelled eggs? Her egg yesterday & today are both hard as hell.

- i would like to keep boba away from any kind of pain. She’s also an indoor duck.
- I searched up some other ways to lessen her egg laying but:
1. Boba’s afraid of the dark
2. I dont want to bring her to do any surgery either

Hope to hear some happy news! (And bad news, i need to hear both!) i just need some assurances

I’ll answer each question in order.

-Egg laying is a natural process so she shouldn’t be in pain.
-Naturally, the older the duck the less eggs she will produce. As she gets older she may lay less eggs or stop entirely. Laying eggs shouldn’t cause her pain even in long term.
-Yes, in the winter months she should quit laying due to less sunlight hours.
-I personally never have had any of my first year layers (chickens) lay throughout the winter. I have heard some people’s birds did lay through their first winter. Depends on the climate and the bird.
-What feed are you feeding her? What is the calcium amount? Giving her feed with a good calcium amount will keep her from having soft shelled eggs.

For your last few questions, egg laying is completely natural and doesn’t hurt them. Unless she has some sort of reproductive issue, she doesn’t need to be kept from laying.

- Are we allowed to take the eggs as soon as she lays them, or should we wait?
- any other advice for a first time duck layer?

- Yes you can take them right away. There is no need to wait to take the egg.

 

[Sosalty]

OK to take all her eggs daily. There's no stress if they don't see you gather 'em. If she gets flock/duck 'layer' feed, yes, you'll need to wack her eggs 2x's to break and cook 'em. Not sure about their 1st egg, but once they get going, ducks don't show pain when laying. Their shell encased blobs of perfect protein has to come from somewhere, so there's some biological stress in that sense. Egg laying is what they naturally do, just smile and thank her every time you see her, give her treats, protect her, provide a small flock for her social life, and layer feed with niacin when she's laying.

She may be extra social when young, then less so, defensive of her eggs, when she starts her laying.

I don't know her breed, Pekin? Look up her range of egg laying. Take the higher number for her 1st year. When she gets close to laying the max, scuttle her nest daily to encourage her to stop laying for the winter. Less hours of light may induce her to stop laying as well.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/compare-duck-breeds.html
Doubt she'll lay all year, yet possibly into winter since she just started now, mid-July. Soft eggs should be rare, keep up the hi-calcium layer feed.

 

[Horou]

I’ll answer each question in order.

-Egg laying is a natural process so she shouldn’t be in pain.
-Naturally, the older the duck the less eggs she will produce. As she gets older she may lay less eggs or stop entirely. Laying eggs shouldn’t cause her pain even in long term.
-Yes, in the winter months she should quit laying due to less sunlight hours.
-I personally never have had any of my first year layers (chickens) lay throughout the winter. I have heard some people’s birds did lay through their first winter. Depends on the climate and the bird.
-What feed are you feeding her? What is the calcium amount? Giving her feed with a good calcium amount will keep her from having soft shelled eggs.

For your last few questions, egg laying is completely natural and doesn’t hurt them. Unless she has some sort of reproductive issue, she doesn’t need to be kept from laying.


- Yes you can take them right away. There is no need to wait to take the egg.

I’ll answer each question in order.

-Egg laying is a natural process so she shouldn’t be in pain.
-Naturally, the older the duck the less eggs she will produce. As she gets older she may lay less eggs or stop entirely. Laying eggs shouldn’t cause her pain even in long term.
-Yes, in the winter months she should quit laying due to less sunlight hours.
-I personally never have had any of my first year layers (chickens) lay throughout the winter. I have heard some people’s birds did lay through their first winter. Depends on the climate and the bird.
-What feed are you feeding her? What is the calcium amount? Giving her feed with a good calcium amount will keep her from having soft shelled eggs.

For your last few questions, egg laying is completely natural and doesn’t hurt them. Unless she has some sort of reproductive issue, she doesn’t need to be kept from laying.


- Yes you can take them right away. There is no need to wait to take the egg.

How old does Boba have to be to be checked for reproductive issues (if she has any even) so far all her eggs are hard as heck!!

We're currently still on < Manna Pro Duckling & Gosling Starter Grower > for her main feed. With lettuce, corn, peas every other day. Plus the fridge tax (bc every time we open the fridge door, Boba demands peas). So we toss her some peas too (fridge tax). Otherwise, she gets a bit of fruit (chopped peeled apple cubes, watermelon, or whatever kind of fruit we have that week).

 

[Rose the Legbar]

How old does Boba have to be to be checked for reproductive issues (if she has any even) so far all her eggs are hard as heck!!

We're currently still on < Manna Pro Duckling & Gosling Starter Grower > for her main feed. With lettuce, corn, peas every other day. Plus the fridge tax (bc every time we open the fridge door, Boba demands peas). So we toss her some peas too (fridge tax). Otherwise, she gets a bit of fruit (chopped peeled apple cubes, watermelon, or whatever kind of fruit we have that week).

Reproductive issues shows if she lays “lash eggs” and a swollen and red back end filled with fluid. Daily body checks can insure you catch any of those issues early.

I would suggest to offer a side dish for her of oyster shells to make sure she has enough calcium as needed. I would also suggest to have another dish of grit so she can digest the food easier.

 

[Horou]

OK to take all her eggs daily. There's little stress if they don't see you gather 'em. If she gets flock/duck 'layer' feed, yes, you'll need to wack her eggs 2x's to break and cook 'em. Not sure about their 1st egg, but once they get going, ducks don't show pain when laying. Their shell encased blobs of perfect protein has to come from somewhere, so there's some biological stress in that sense. Egg laying is what they naturally do, just smile and thank her every time you see her, give her treats, protect her, provide a small flock for her social life, and layer feed with niacin when she's laying.

She may be extra social when young, then less so, defensive of her eggs, when she starts her laying.

I don't know her breed, Pekin? Look up her range of egg laying. Take the higher number for her 1st year. When she gets close to laying the max, scuttle her nest daily to encourage her to stop laying for the winter. Less hours of light may induce her to stop laying as well.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/compare-duck-breeds.html
Doubt she'll lay all year, yet possibly into winter since she just started now, mid-July. Soft eggs should be rare, keep up the hi-calcium layer feed.

Yes! Boba's a pekin! (About to hit 5months old)
The vet said we should stay on the Manna Pro duckling starter for another month more. But we have bought the layer feed just incase since Boba started. Is there any other

Reproductive issues shows if she lays “lash eggs” and a swollen and red back end filled with fluid. Daily body checks can insure you catch any of those issues early.

I would suggest to offer a side dish for her of oyster shells to make sure she has enough calcium as needed. I would also suggest to have another dish of grit so she can digest the food easier.

like pure grinded up oyster shells on the side??

 

[Horou]

Boba laid 3 more eggs today, first egg of the day was hard shelled, 2nd egg was completely intact but soft shelled, and 3rd egg was intact but only half came out and was indeed soft shelled again. We have powdered oyster shells & layer feed coming in and going out today to find electrolytes water for her.

Her energy levels are low compared to her energy levels before, she also seems more reluctant to run to her peas, but after much thought she slow walks there instead of running there. Still gobbles up the peas like a demon though.

What can I do about her energy levels being low? Is there any way to help her in that situation? Are most duck layers like this?? Low energy? How can i soothe her? Her breathing isn’t too bad, but sometimes they are labored. Is it because of the egg laying? Or anything else I should be concerned about?

Will the calcium fix her soft shelled issues?

 

[Horou]

What about the other half of the soft shelled egg that didn’t come out? Will it come out later? Or dig it out? She’s been having really wet runny poopys beside her egg laying, is this normal?

 

[Horou]

Bought some “Mile 4: Grit & Grinded Oyster Shells” and sprinkled it into another bowl next to her. But she keeps mixing it with her food, like bringing it into her main food bowl. Would it be okay like that?