when will my free loading ducks start laying?

[-kimm-]

My girls hatched around April last year and still haven't started laying eggs. We got them a boyfriend but he is a butthead. They are buffs and very healthy.

 

[DJTfarm]

Mine are laying sporadically right now, (maybe 1 egg every other week) but you can tell the boys are starting to get interested in the girls. Same with the geese.

 

[Ren2014]

Are they confined at all times? Could they be laying somewhere you don't see? They should have started laying before winter of last year. Have they molted? They don't usually lay during molt. They could be getting ready to start again after this winter. Here in Texas ours lay year around. I hope yours start soon

 

[-kimm-]

They are in an enclosed run and coop. I do let them out sometimes to play in the grass but since we have some hawks and an owl that live on our property so only when I am with them. There has been some talk of getting rid of them so hopefully they produce some soon.

 

[chickens really]

Hi,
Do you provide any oyster shell for egg laying?
Also Drakes do better breeding in water....A shallow rubber stock bowl they can get into works great for breeding and in warm areas a kiddie pool is a great place for breeding......


Cheers!

 

[Amiga]

I always think about iamcuriositycat's experience - a garden hose used to supply water was leaching a chemical that prevented her flock from laying.

I would think about switching out watering buckets - especially if they are plastic (try stainless steel - used ones are not that hard to come by around here). Try a different hose if you use one for their swim water.

What feed are you using? How often do you feed, and how much? Any supplements? Free choice oyster shell on the side? What's their environment like? Noises? Other animals?