10-month-old indian runners have not started laying

[krasi]

Hello,
I have four indian runners (two boys and two girls) which I have raised from eggs. I was hoping to get some eggs this year but so far I've been disappointed. Surely they should have started laying by now?
For context, they are fed a mix of duck finisher, wheat, corn and oats, kitchen scraps and until now they were free-ranging in my garden. I have placed them in a smaller area now (still big enough for four ducks) to ensure they are not hiding eggs or something.
My hens have been laying since February, so what's wrong with my ducks?

 

[Kkrista123]

Where are you from? What is the weather like?

 

[krasi]

Eastern Europe. The weather has been alright for the last couple of weeks (above 0 °C day and night)

 

[Kkrista123]

I guess it isn't due to the weather. Nothing recently happened to them out of the normal, right? Stress can prolong laying for up to months. I would try feeding oyster shell if I were you. The extra calcium might give them the push they need. I am also sure someone else will chime in with more great ideas!

 

[Kkrista123]

It can take ducks up to a year to start laying though sometimes! It doesn't have to be assumed anything is wrong as long as they are in good health. Do they get access to food and water at night?

 

[krasi]

No, nothing has stressful has happened although they are skittish by nature. I can try oyster shell. No, they don't have access to food and water at night, do they need it?!!

 

[Duckworth]

The oyster shell is going to be important. The females need enough calcium to form egg shells. Your finisher food is formulated to prepare meat ducks quickly for butchering and may not have adequate calcium or other nutritional balance for laying and long-term good health. Provide the oyster shell or other source of calcium in a separate dish near their other food and allow them to eat it free choice. Your male ducks will not need the higher amounts of calcium, so it is best not to mix it in with their regular food. An “all flock” or mixed poultry/water fowl feed may work out better for you. Layer feed has some extra calcium, but it may be more than is good for your male ducks and for times when your female ducks aren’t laying, so for my ducks, I use a maintenance feed designed for a mixed flock—usually called “all flock” or “flock raiser,” and provide the oyster shell separately. My ducks eat the shell as needed and they know when they need it.

My ducks aren’t laying yet this year. They are now almost two years old and one of mine didn’t lay for the first time until almost eleven months. A lot depends on the timing of the onset of winter in their maturation process. If they come to reproductive maturity during winter, they often wait until spring before they start laying.

 

[krasi]

Thanks, I will try oyster shell and see how it goes. Is there any chance they will never lay eggs no matter what I do?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Eastern Europe. The weather has been alright for the last couple of weeks (above 0 °C day and night)

Are they mating usually once mating starts eggs follow after a few weeks to a month. Once your females start laying your going to have eggs and lots of eggs. My Runners are awesome egg layers. Also watch your drakes 2-2 is a recipe for over mating and can be extremely hard on the females. I'd think about adding some more girls. daylight also triggers egg laying and days are getting longer. I am still waiting for my ducks to start up laying my chickens started a few weeks ago.

 

[chickens really]

Oyster shell is for active layers. It won't bring on laying. It's hard on organs if feed before actually laying.