Duck egg decline…Is this normal?

[anonymous99]

My pekin hens are less than a year old and they’ve only started laying back in october or november. Lately, they haven’t been laying as many eggs lately. I only found 3 duck eggs today. I’ve been giving them oyster shells. Is it normal if they don’t lay as many eggs as before? I’ve noticed that sometimes, they’ll sit on their eggs before I collect them and they’ll be nice and warm and they’ll cover their eggs up with their bedding in their nesting boxes. I haven’t noticed if they’re laying their eggs elsewhere or if they’re hiding them. I cleaned their bedding today and I didn’t see any hidden eggs or step on any. Could my hens be showing any signs of going broody or are they just taking a break from laying? I’m not sure what’s going on.

 

[ruthhope]

We have pekins that are now just a year old. They started laying in September but only one laid all the way through the winter. She is always hungry. The others stopped laying by the middle of December but have started laying again sporadically at first for the last 3 weeks. They are only now all laying every day.
It is normal for ducks to cease laying in the shorter days of winter. I think it is better for their health to have a break from laying.
Ours also make little nests with bedding and feathers. Therefore, I provided nesting boxes, which they like: even the drake will take a daytime nap in one of the nesting boxes. Although they each have a nesting box, they insist on all laying in one box! I often find the pekin that has laid all winter sitting on all the eggs in the morning, And, yes they are warm. Most if not all the eggs are infertile -- the drake is still inexperienced

 

[Callender Girl]

My runner ducks just resumed laying this week. They have never laid during the winter months.

They are masters of egg hiding. I keep them in a shelter overnight and always hope that is where I will find the eggs. However, it's like a months-long scavenger hunt trying to figure out where they will lay throughout the warm months. One of their past favorites was on the ground, against the house foundation -- right behind a row of very prickly rose bushes.

 

[Isadora]

One of their past favorites was on the ground, against the house foundation -- right behind a row of very prickly rose bushes.

Of course

 

[Kholts]

I’m currently going through the same thing but with my Anconas. They started laying in December & the last 2 weeks have declined in laying (even though daylight hours are getting longer). I’m lucky to get an egg a day currently.

As I suspected I went into the coop this morning & there are feathers everywhere. They are in the middle of molting. I’m hoping next month they resume laying.