Ducks not laying

[AngeFange]

Hi everyone, I am new to BYC and raising ducks. We've had chickens for years and now thought we'd like to get ducks, thought it would good for our son to experience the fun ducks as well as the nutritious eggs. We first got a group of 4 (3 of which are supposedly khaki Campbell/Indian runner mix and one khaki Campbell). We have had these ducks for probably a month and a half and alas, no eggs. I'm not sure if it means anything, but the hair on the back of their necks is a little coarse. Before we got snow they were enjoying foraging our acre and then back in their pen at night. We decided that maybe they needed some layers to get them into laying. Got 4 Indian runners, 3 females and 1 drake. They were laying before we got them and alas, after we got 3 eggs we have had nothing since. I started supplementing light with a 40 watt bulb to make them get about 14 hours of light a day. They seem happy to get outside, I dug out a grass patch and some of them appreciated it, but they like to lay in the snow, seem happy to me. They are in with 2 chickens. Have food all the time in their pen, wondering if maybe that's not a good call with no water in there though. Sorry for the long story, I live in Ontario so it's now between -5 - 5 degrees Celsius with snow on the ground and some chilly wind at times. Their pen is insulated with a vent in the roof. We have been using straw, but wondering if that's the best option as it gets messy fast and that leads to the ground in their pen being cold. I'm not sure if I should be pm'ing someone in particular for some advise or if we are just going to have to wait until the spring for eggs. Thanks for any info Thought I'd add a pic, sorry it's not the best but its something

 

[needlessjunk]

It takes duck a while to get settled and that along with winter could be why you aren't getting any eggs. I wouldn't be supeised if you don't get any till spring. Sorry. Ducks don't need swimming water but must have water deep enough to dunk their heads. If there is any food out they must have drinking water. It sounds like they are happy so give it some time. As for the coop. Wet is not good. How is it getting wet? Ducks by nature are messy though so it is to be expected.

 

[AngeFange]

I thought that might be the case. Oh well, they're still fun. They have a heated bowl that has water in it all the time just outside their coop in their pen. As well I take a fresh bucket out every morning and refill it during the day when it gets low. Maybe I will cover up the food at night and then uncover in the morning, or put their food in their pen for them in the morning. With the cold, I guess it wouldn't hurt giving them food in the am and in the before bed, just so they have food to digest overnight. I meant "wet" from their droppings.