The reason you get so many "I'm not sures" is because there are so many variables. For instance, if you don't break them and keep them on layers pellets, they
will burn out more quickly. If your force light extensions, they will burn out more quickly, If you go the natural route and give them a good molting break every
year, then they lay longer. If you feed a good balanced diet they lay longer. I think you probably get the picture.
According to my Grandmother, when I was younger, a good duck should outlast a chicken in productive laying by 2 to 3 years. So an average of 4 to 5 years of
productive laying and then tapering as they get into the mid and senior years.
I'm feeding mine a vegetarian layers pellet and give them greens and sprouts daily and they forage 7-8 months out of the year, free range style. All of my WH are laying every day
with the occasional missed day. My Blue Runner, is pretty amazing. She was the oldest of my ducks and when she started laying she did so for 3 months strait,
missed one day then over the Mid Nov to end of February stopped, now in March, she's laying every day again. Two of my WH layed through the least light days
of winter, with only 1/2 hour of added external light, nothing in their duck house.
So, I expect to get a solid 5 years out of all my girls and then I'll decided whether the flock needs new blood. It is really hard to think about eating any of our girls, they are
all really family, so they will probably get pastured into their golden years. Besides, 5 years is a long way away in my life right now, Maybe I'll have a 5 acre property and
have the luxury of having a larger flock.
I hope this was some help, even if it is not a stead fast rule. Basically, the better and more humanely you treat your ducks, the longer they will lay productively. But there is
that old mother nature thing, Ducks, like people, only have so many ova to turn into eggs. They won't lay forever, no matter how great a layer they are.
Best,
Liz
will burn out more quickly. If your force light extensions, they will burn out more quickly, If you go the natural route and give them a good molting break every
year, then they lay longer. If you feed a good balanced diet they lay longer. I think you probably get the picture.
According to my Grandmother, when I was younger, a good duck should outlast a chicken in productive laying by 2 to 3 years. So an average of 4 to 5 years of
productive laying and then tapering as they get into the mid and senior years.
I'm feeding mine a vegetarian layers pellet and give them greens and sprouts daily and they forage 7-8 months out of the year, free range style. All of my WH are laying every day
with the occasional missed day. My Blue Runner, is pretty amazing. She was the oldest of my ducks and when she started laying she did so for 3 months strait,
missed one day then over the Mid Nov to end of February stopped, now in March, she's laying every day again. Two of my WH layed through the least light days
of winter, with only 1/2 hour of added external light, nothing in their duck house.
So, I expect to get a solid 5 years out of all my girls and then I'll decided whether the flock needs new blood. It is really hard to think about eating any of our girls, they are
all really family, so they will probably get pastured into their golden years. Besides, 5 years is a long way away in my life right now, Maybe I'll have a 5 acre property and
have the luxury of having a larger flock.
I hope this was some help, even if it is not a stead fast rule. Basically, the better and more humanely you treat your ducks, the longer they will lay productively. But there is
that old mother nature thing, Ducks, like people, only have so many ova to turn into eggs. They won't lay forever, no matter how great a layer they are.
Best,
Liz