Drake size possibility affecting egg production?

[nao57]

So I had this idea while doing yard work and working in the back today.

I was wondering if the drake size is much bigger than the hen size could this be why my duck hens aren't laying eggs?

I'd looked at everything else literally. It seems like the drake is much bigger than the hens. This might also be a welsh harlequinn issue possibly in particularly. My welsh hens are much smaller than their drake; genetics I think.

Have any of you run into this?

There's 1 welsh drake with 5 welsh hens. They are in their own enclosure.

My other group is 1 black runner with 4 black runner hens. The black runner hens and their drake do not have access to the welsh duck area and vice versa; 2 separate areas. I used to have 2 more black drakes with the black runners. We dispatched them last night and immediately the night after I have 2 fresh eggs where as I'd been getting 0 or 1 egg per day previous. (Perhaps this is fixed.) The odd part is...yeah even though I knew it was the right thing to do it was still hard to get rid of the 2 black runner drakes that were extras. They are such good animals and fun to watch. It was hard enlisting family member help also because they also like them.

These are the thoughts I had on why egg production seems to have not worked out. Curious what others think.

Thank you very much.

 

[Everose]

Maybe try separating both drakes for a week or two and see if all the girls resume a normal egg laying pattern

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Muscovy drakes are at least 10 lbs or more to their hens which might be 4-5 lbs- so double the weight. I haven't had issues regarding the drakes affecting the hens not laying. However, maybe your ratio is off? That might affect egg laying due to overmating.
How old are your duck hens?

 

[nao57]

Ducks are only about a year old. Thanks for the responses to both of you.

I will monitor it for a bit and see. I don't know yet what will happen. Yesterday I separated them. I do think the ratio...might be a bit off but not by much. But the welsh drake is very 'active' also.

Thank you!

 

[NatJ]

I used to have 2 more black drakes with the black runners. We dispatched them last night and immediately the night after I have 2 fresh eggs where as I'd been getting 0 or 1 egg per day previous. (Perhaps this is fixed.)

Maybe they have been laying eggs, but the eggs are getting broken?
Either the drakes could have been breaking the eggs so they could eat them, or the drakes trying to mate with the hens might have caused the eggs to break (and of course they would all eat the eggs after the breaking happened.)

Or it could just be a coincidence, because concidences happen every now and then just to confuse us.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

If the ducks are a year old, they most likely are taking a break as now is the time most ducks take a break in egg laying unless you have a hybrid.

Duck eggs are really hard to break unless they aren't getting their calcium needs met. Also, ducks rarely eat broken eggs. However, the females will eat the egg shells.
Ducks are very good at hiding eggs because unlike chickens they don't always use a nest box.