Just thought i would let you know that Daisy had a few little dips in and out then she stayed in and Donald followed and they are happily swimming away. They did it all by themselves without any encouragement.

Although i did go out and buy them some tomatoes today, Not interested in the slightest, so i dug up about 30 worms instead - Nice!! lol

So i am happy that they are making the most of their little enclosure x

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Glad to hear it!! I told you that you need to wait!! And now you should say goodbye to the goldfishes as they are going to be in their menu soon!!

Brilliant news! Not keen on tomatoes eh... that should save you a few quid!

It took mine a few hours before they ventured into their pond, but now as soon as they come out in the morning first thing theey do is run to it and go splashing and diving and create an amazing racket! Gotta love them, best pets ever!

totally agree, they are the most interesting pets, what makes it even better is that im getting a double yoke egg every day! and they taste delicious!!

Mine are making more use of the pond too, they will go in every day, they are eating all the pond plants, but havnt eatent the fish yet!!

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Brilliant They are the most fun to watch!

RE the last post, watch out for the double yolks, this is where they release 2 yolks very close to each other and can sometimes mean a little blip in their reproductive system. Keep an eye on her make sure she's not disturbed to soon after laying her egg and the shells etc are normal. Give me a shout if you want any more detailed info for causes and effects of double yolks

zo
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Hi thanks for your message, im not too sure what the double yoke means apart from twins!! i have had 2 yokes joined together! But the egg shell is totally normal, they can differ in size and she has laid about 5 single yokes and they have been the size of a chicken egg (she has been laying over the past month now- i have recorded all her eggs for size etc) but she lays one a day, not sure what time she lays them but i put both ducks in their house at night and let them out at 9.00am, so would that be wrong to do that then? as i dont want to be disturbing her, she seems happy and healthy.

I wouldnt mind some more info on this, although im eating her eggs at the moment i will probably incubate some in the spring time.

Someone did tell me that they produce double yokes when they start laying eggs then once they get established they start to lay single yoke eggs? is that true?

Thanks for your help x

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Sorry for the late response!
RE the double yolks, it can just happen for the first few eggs layed, but if it's ongoing it could be due to some kind of stress during the actual laying process.
There is a close link between the moment and egg is layed and when another leaves the ovary. If she is frightened or there is nest competition the ovary may release two eggs simultaneously which will then be enclosed within a single shell producing the double yolk.
This image shows how it all works, it's quite interesting seeing the parts of the reproductive tract where the membranes and shells are created!
Google Image Result for http://www.hyahya.org/images_books/images_designinnature/chicken_egg_fertilisation.jpg

zo
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thanks for your reply, i can see what you mean, but im not sure whether she would be stressed, she does share her home with a male and im not sure he would want her nest? Also she has been laying single ones too, but it has been more double yolks, but the single ones are chicken sized eggs, whereas the double yolks are duck sized eggs? The other day she laid a normal egg in the morning then as if she wasnt expecting them she laid another 2 squishy eggs on the decking (which is what she did for her 1st eggs before she laid a real one!) She always lays her normal eggs in her house on her hay overnight, but the squishy (no proper shell) eggs have been laid on the decking. Strange, but i do think they just plopped out without her noticing, as she would have gone to her hay, surely?

Im just hoping it is her ovulation process / hormones playing up and that it will sort itself out. If not i will have to find out why she could be stressed, although i cant see any signs and she does seem happy.

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Hiya

if you have soft shell eggs then she has a problem with her reproductive system and will need a trip to the vet. This can be egg peritonitis or a sign of an infection. Should be cleared up by a shot of baytril, but get her to the vet as soon as you can. Also are you providing her with oyster shell? What are you feeding her? Layers pellets?
It's good you have caught this early
Zo
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