Ducks are not laying and have not for the whole summer, isn't this strange?

[Learningstill]

I agree that is odd and your feeding sounds perfectly fine, most ducks are quite capable of regulating feed especially if they are allowed plenty of room to roam. Amiga has good suggestions, i do know weather can turn laying into a rather irregular experience but not where they haven't at all.

Since they do forage, how big an area are we talking of? could their be nests your unaware of, i often find them here... only the other week did i find a nest of 12 eggs.

We have thought of this and do not believe they are laying anywhere, because they stay near the pen and right in front of the house which are open areas. The area they forage is basically around their pen and across the yard and back. They never spread out and venture. Even when we carry them to the backyard, they come running back to the front. So, foraging is not a main source of food.

 

[Learningstill]

Are there any diseases that cause egg production to disappear?

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: If it's in the same town, chances are it comes from the same place, and feed in sealed bags can contain contaminants that originated in the fields the grain/food was grown in, or was introduced at any point in the processing. Accidents and mistakes and malfunctions are common. But it would more likely be environmental.

Quote: Yes, of course; I can't speak for ducks but many different things with chickens can cause them to stop laying. Anything from endocrine disorders, to fungi, to viruses, to toxins/chemicals/etc. With ducks, it would be the same. Some viruses cause lesions or tumors which can stop the ovaries functioning or something else crucial to egg production, as a random example.

Even very non-inclined foragers might sneak off to lay in a hidden place. I've had hens who would hardly budge from the houseyard who still went to over an hour's worth of sneaky behavior to reach a nest beyond the yard. Instead of going straight there they would backtrack, circle, pretending nonstop to be otherwise occupied, and all the time watching to see who was watching them. If they spotted another chicken or a human watching them they would head in the opposite direction from the nest.

However I think you may have hit the nail on the head... If they're moulting then egg production would likely be slowed or even stopped. Best wishes.

 

[Wynette]

Glad I found this thread (thanks, Miss Lydia!). You said they are molting - THAT is the reason they're not laying. Molting is very hard on their systems, and they must put all of their energy into growing new feathers.

I have been noticing the same thing with my small flock of 5 layers and a drake. I was getting eggs out my ears up until about a month ago; mine are about 16 months old, and I know that one is most definitely molting, and I believe the others may be fixin' to start very soon; or, they possibly HAVE begun and are hiding it well.

I wonder - with chickens, it's recommended to increase their protein by 2% during molt to help them through; would the same hold true for ducks? I haven't found any research on this yet; if anyone knows of any, please direct me. I sure don't want to "overfeed" them, but if it might help their molt to go more smoothly, I can easily up the protein a hair.

Also - just wanted to say - learningstill - I LOVE YOUR user ID!

 

[Learningstill]

Glad I found this thread (thanks, Miss Lydia!).  You said they are molting - THAT is the reason they're not laying.  Molting is very hard on their systems, and they must put all of their energy into growing new feathers.

I have been noticing the same thing with my small flock of 5 layers and a drake.  I was getting eggs out my ears up until about a month ago; mine are about 16 months old, and I know that one is most definitely molting, and I believe the others may be fixin' to start very soon; or, they possibly HAVE begun and are hiding it well.

I wonder - with chickens, it's recommended to increase their protein by 2% during molt to help them through; would the same hold true for ducks?  I haven't found any research on this yet; if anyone knows of any, please direct me.  I sure don't want to "overfeed" them, but if it might help their molt to go more smoothly, I can easily up the protein a hair.

Also - just wanted to say - learningstill - I LOVE YOUR user ID!

Oh, this would make sense; because they have been molting all summer. It has been dragging on, maybe due to the wacky weather? Normally, we have pretty warm summers and we have had hot days, and cool days, and some in between.

Thank you. I was glad it was available. It describes me 100% in every aspect. I have never felt I do not have anything to learn, so hence the name. I am content with learning = learning still. plus the irony that I am newer to this all.

Thanks for responding.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I do think wacky weather is playing a part since mine started mating and laying in Jan this year it has thrown them all off, first time ever for this early usually in March or early April so the season has been a long one, I have 10ducks that are able to lay and have only gotten 2 duck eggs this week, I have 5 that are brooding on nothing so that leaves 5 that could lay but are not and it's early even for Scovy's to be going dormant. Long season, molting, heat other environmental things going on we know nothing about, can all work on our ducks. stress? It will be interesting to see next year when it all starts since I'll have 2 new ducks [from this years hatch] to add into it all. My girls lay really well most seasons[if I can keep them from going broody] but this one has differently been a different one. and we could all put that your user ID beside our names. It is so true.

I have been giving my flock extra protein since all mine are either in molt or starting including chickens and geese, I give them mealworms and also added vitamins to their drinking water. My all flock has 22% protein to begin with but still doesn't hurt to help them out during this time.

 

[gaitngirl]

I have 6 duck hens (Pekin, Rouen, and Indian Runner) that should all be laying quite well if how the drakes are chasing and mounting them is any indication of fertility. I had 2 Pekin hens last year that were masters (or mistresses, rather) of hiding their nests. Now I can't find a single nest. Every once in awhile the Runners will get overexcited and drop an egg where ever they happen to be and I'll find it (usually during the morning feedings - one moment nothing, the next it's just sitting there and the duck is like ' whaaat?'). I have 10 vacant acres on the south side of my property and a large, wild buffer area on the north that I've walked and walked looking for hidden nests. I know they are there - I just can't find them. No one here is molting except for a couple of my chickens. I have over 20 hens right now and I'm getting 5 eggs per day at the most. I did find 5 hidden nests of theirs so far (one had 25 eggs, another had 21!!! - I stuck a few of the oldest EE eggs from the bottom of the piles under a couple of broody hens and 7 hatched. Unfortunately, one Isa that was sitting killed 4 of them as they were hatching. The black sex link that was also broody successfully hatched the other 3 and I took them away before the chick killer could get to them). The same Isa broke the eggs my Cuckoo Marans was sitting on, too (which all appeared to be fertile and growing well). She will be going to freezer camp by fall. If I can find a processor in my area.
I have today through Monday off from work so I've cooped all of the chickens. They are not happy with me after having the whole summer to free range but I have a lot of customers that are begging for eggs and I can't supply them. If I'm still not getting a decent number of eggs by Sunday, I'm going to worm the whole flock and see if that helps.

 

[Learningstill]

I have 6 duck hens (Pekin, Rouen, and Indian Runner) that should all be laying quite well if how the drakes are chasing and mounting them is any indication of fertility. I had 2 Pekin hens last year that were masters (or mistresses, rather) of hiding their nests. Now I can't find a single nest. Every once in awhile the Runners will get overexcited and drop an egg where ever they happen to be and I'll find it (usually during the morning feedings - one moment nothing, the next it's just sitting there and the duck is like ' whaaat?'). I have 10 vacant acres on the south side of my property and a large, wild buffer area on the north that I've walked and walked looking for hidden nests. I know they are there - I just can't find them. No one here is molting except for a couple of my chickens. I have over 20 hens right now and I'm getting 5 eggs per day at the most. I did find 5 hidden nests of theirs so far (one had 25 eggs, another had 21!!! - I stuck a few of the oldest EE eggs from the bottom of the piles under a couple of broody hens and 7 hatched. Unfortunately, one Isa that was sitting killed 4 of them as they were hatching. The black sex link that was also broody successfully hatched the other 3 and I took them away before the chick killer could get to them). The same Isa broke the eggs my Cuckoo Marans was sitting on, too (which all appeared to be fertile and growing well). She will be going to freezer camp by fall. If I can find a processor in my area.
I have today through Monday off from work so I've cooped all of the chickens. They are not happy with me after having the whole summer to free range but I have a lot of customers that are begging for eggs and I can't supply them. If I'm still not getting a decent number of eggs by Sunday, I'm going to worm the whole flock and see if that helps.

What are the signs of worms? Ours seem perfectly normal, besides the lack of eggs.

Our yard is completely privacy fenced and narrow, so they stay in the same area. I mean right now, we are forcing them to be in the backyard because we are not outside with them, and they are staying right by the walkway that is blocked.

We have khaki, welsh, and mallards ducks and two chickens and not one egg. The khaki and mallard sat on nests earlier this spring. I am thinking the reason is the molting.

 

[gaitngirl]

When my chickens were in molt, I only got a couple of sporadic eggs from them. As soon as they were done, it was like Bam! Here's the eggs, lol.

Some worms and parasites present in the poo, some don't. No eggs and otherwise healthy looking can be a sign, too. I run my chickens with the ducks and since they all come from different places originally, something could have been passed on. They all are exposed to each others poo, etc. so I figured it won't hurt to worm them. I have Wazine and some left over horse wormer. I will probably do the Wazine first and then do the other in a couple weeks, as they each take care of different parasites. I figure it can't hurt and it's not going to affect egg production adversely at this rate, lol! If that doesn't help, I may do a general antibiotic in their water for a few days followed by probiotics and vitamins. They all eat extremely well (but aren't fat by any means - except the Pekins, lol). Up until today they free ranged from dawn until dark, get pelleted and fermented feed + treats. They are getting tons of apples and peaches right now (minus the seeds and pits) and other fresh fruit and veggies. I even boosted their protein and they get mealworms/darkling beetles. The ducks get peas on a regular basis for the niacin. And bananas. They eat way healthier than I do!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well out of 17 hens[chicken] I got 5 eggs today and out of 12 ducks I got 0 eggs today, any one else want to give the count. My molters are few so I have no idea what's going on unless again the long season has everyone going dormant early, also my lil over year old Scovy drake's carnuckles are already faded to pinkish/orange compared to the deep red they were a month ago. My other 2 are still pretty red.