Change in living quarters = duck stopped laying??

RacerWife7

Songster
7 Years
May 20, 2013
155
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Northern, NJ
I know I don't post often. But, I do read a lot here since I have 5 ducks. My 3, original, ducks are: Peepers (a mallard drake), Spot (a Swedish blue duck), and Raspberry (a Swedish blue drake). I have 2 mallard girls inside my house who are only 7 weeks old, now. They will be out there, eventually. But, for now, it's just the 3.

On Easter Sunday, my hubby built a separate space, intended for Peepers and the new girls; leaving Spot & Raspberry together in the older enclosure. As expected, Peepers & Raspberry had been fighting. So, I separated them so they wouldn't hurt each other or Spot.

FFWD 2 weeks - I've only gotten about 4 eggs from Spot since I took Peepers out of the old enclosure and put him in the new enclosure. They are right next to each other. So, all 3 can see each other just fine. But, egg laying has dropped off, drastically. I've gotten 1 egg per day since December 2, 2013 from her. AND Peepers still has his winter look. He hasn't changed to a green head yet. I would think he'd look like a typical mallard drake this late in the spring!!

This morning, I switched the boys. I put Peepers in with Spot and put Raspberry inside the new enclosure. It seems to me that Peepers flanks Spot wherever she goes. Raspberry wasn't doing that when he was in there with her. He stayed pretty close. But, not at all like Peepers.

Anyone have any thoughts on the situation?? Do you think I was wrong to switch the boys? Please, comment. I am looking for some experienced duck owners' answers. I want them to be happy. And non-egg-laying ducks means unhappy ones, I think. I know they're pretty sensitive to change. I'm just trying to figure out the best case scenario for all of them so they're all happy. Is that even possible?? ...
 
I would like to see pics of all involved..... your mallard drake should be colored by now.

Clint
 
I would like to see pics of all involved..... your mallard drake should be colored by now.

Clint

Last fall he had a gorgeous green head and gray feathers. He changed when winter set in and hasn't changed back yet, except a little bit of his wing and tail feathers.
 
<--- Raspberry looking at Peepers through the adjoining fence.


- This is an older pic of all three of them. I think they were about 8 weeks old at this time.

<---Another older pic of Spot. She looks the same, basically.
 
Obviously a drake....I would guess an injury....reduced testosterone results in duck plumage.....in that plumage he will not be fertile...

Clint
 
He's really an aggressive little bugger, too. MUCH more aggressive than my much larger drake, Raspberry. Peepers really antagonized Raspberry for a long time. Raspberry never fought back, that I saw, until one day he looked as if he was trying to drown Peepers. He was on top of him in the water and shoving Peepers' head under water. That's the only time I've ever seen him fight back. Otherwise, it was always Peepers being the aggressor.
 
In the meantime, do you have any idea why Spot stopped laying? Is it just because she doesn't have both her boys with her anymore?
 
Also, I should note that Peepers is a wild mallard. He walked into my business by himself at about 1 day old. He's the one who started my duck family.
 
I can not answer (don't have an answer), other than a mallard drake in basic plumage probably will not be fertile.... why the late molt....could be many possible causes.... testis injury, EDC's, too much soy (or legumes) in his diet......all guesses.....

Climt
 

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