Call Hens not Laying?

[Bunnylady]

I have a crested call trio that I got through Eggbid last fall. When I got them, I was more interested in them as pets than as egg producers, so their ages weren't discussed. They are lovely little birds, and I would like to at least get a shot at getting some offspring from them (if you go to Feathersite, you can see a picture of one of the hens). But they aren't laying any eggs at all! I have been feeding them Layena (since it was what I had on hand) should I go to a gamebird food? I have a couple of free-ranging Pekins that get nothing but scratch grain and grass, and they are laying several eggs a week. I have the Calls in a cage, so they can't be hiding the eggs, nor can anything else be eating them. The previous owner said that these birds had layed fertile eggs for her, but she hadn't managed to hatch any (so I was prepared for them to be challenging), but at least she was getting eggs! Any ideas about what I may be doing wrong?

 

[bock]

Maybe it is too cold where you live?

 

[Bunnylady]

I don't think that would be it. Wilmington is zone 7, maybe 8; we had temperatures in the 80's last week.

 

[Scott]

When you say they are in cage do you mean on wire? Do they have a place with straw or wood chips they can go to lay eggs? If not, make sure they have some private area with bedding material for them to lay.

 

[Bunnylady]

They have a pan, about 15" x18" and about 5" deep, to splash around in, most of the wire floor is covered with a truck mudflap to protect their feet from the wire (easy to remove and rinse off). I built them a nestbox a few weeks ago, and lined it with hay. One hen is almost always in the box, along with the drake, but I have checked - no duckeggs in there, just ducks!

Edited to add: I just saw your duckling thread, Scott. Congrats on your little guys - my dd would go wild over them!

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
I have no experience with the crested variety but am told that caution should be used in breeding them, that two bred together can be lethal to the offspring. I know that doesn't help with the egg issue but I thought I'd throw that out there for consideration; maybe we have an expert on cresteds here that would like to chime in.

Me, I'd get them onto a duck diet or at least a gamebird food, and I'd mix kelp into the ration...Wonders Waterfowl sells it on their site and it's where I buy mine. Be sure they have some water to breed in as well, as water triggers the breeding instinct. At least 12 hours a day of light also helps.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Our Calls were born last summer and the girls haven't started yet, either. These last two weeks it has been ranging from the 60s-90s. They seem interested in making nests behind our hay-bales but have yet to produce actual eggs. I'm expecting them to start up any day now. I was wondering if I was the only one whose Calls weren't laying...

 

[Bunnylady]

Perhaps I should have been a little more specific, the hens are crested, the drake isn't. (I know about the crested issue, but thank you for your concern.) I tell you, I'm beginning to wonder about the sexual orientation of my drake! With one hen in particular, I've seen her having a blast in the water pan, splashing and chuckling and bobbing her head, it sure looks like an invitation to me - and the drake seems oblivious! Knowing how amorous my Pekin drakes are, this little guy's seeming indifference is hard to believe. That probably doesn't explain why the hens aren't laying, though I suppose it might all be parts of the same problem.