The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: fifixx on August 31, 2011, 09:56:06 am

Title: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: fifixx on August 31, 2011, 09:56:06 am

I have 5 ducks and have been having 4/5 eggs every day since about April.  this last week we are down to 2 a day and they are noticably smaller.  I just had a call from one of my duck egg customers saying half his box of 6 we not good - and they were only a day or 2 old.

what can be going on?

Title: Re: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: doganjo on August 31, 2011, 10:01:30 am

Quote from: fifixx on August 31, 2011, 09:56:06 am

I have 5 ducks and have been having 4/5 eggs every day since about April.  this last week we are down to 2 a day and they are noticably smaller.  I just had a call from one of my duck egg customers saying half his box of 6 we not good - and they were only a day or 2 old.

what can be going on?

I take it you haven't changed anything?  I don't think they can lay bad eggs so unless you have picked up eggs that have lain a while by mistake I don't know why they would be bad at 2 days old.  Mine aren't laying as many now - they always tail off from now on.  I have 4 ducks and had three eggs today but only 1 the previous 5 days.  I suspect they others may be laying late and the magpies getting them as they'd be outside after 10 ish.  Are yours kept inside till then to make sure you know exactly what date they are laid?

Title: Re: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: northfifeduckling on August 31, 2011, 02:21:12 pm

Quote from: fifixx on August 31, 2011, 09:56:06 am

  I just had a call from one of my duck egg customers saying half his box of 6 we not good - and they were only a day or 2 old.

what can be going on?

what did he mean by that - were they off? or just too small for his taste???

you can reduce your price once they get smaller. I have this every year before they start the winter break - sounds a bit early for that, though! How old are your ducks? :&>

Title: Re: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: fifixx on September 01, 2011, 08:48:06 am

Ducks are only 2 years old.  Wondering about old eggs in the box by mistake - sometimes they really do hide the eggs in the nest so that could have happened.  I'm going to make a load of cakes with the next lot so I can check them all over a week!

Title: Re: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 01, 2011, 10:16:18 am

I keep most of the eggs I find in the garden seperate for our own use - unless I am absolutely sure it is today's! Just in case... :&>

Title: Re: duck eggs getting smaller
Post by: doganjo on September 01, 2011, 10:20:00 am

I write the date on them as I find them.  Like Kerstin, any I find outside the normal nest get kept for me or the dogs.