ducks breeding

[DrakeJake]

what age do ducks start breeding and producing eggs. i have 2 boys & 2 girl rouen 8 months old.

 

[CMV]

You should be getting some eggs soon. You aren't seeing any signs of breeding yet? Mine started at 8 months. Maybe when the weather warms up and the days get longer.

Good luck.

 

[DrakeJake]

no signs yet. well i guess i shouldnt say that but i havnt seen any mating going on when i go in the pen anyway, i also have chickens. what if any issues will there be when the ducks do start laying. im wondering if i can leave the duck eggs to hatch with mama or not. if yes how will the ducklings eat as they will need there special baby food, wont this be eaten by the others. do i need to collect the babys and bring them in house. how is it done in nature and just what are the babies eating in nature. does the mother regurjitate for them. id really like it to be a natural process if its possible. maybe i need to fence of the pen at this stage. thanks for your help

 

[Chiko]

They will lay very soon but my ducks started breeding in their kiddy pool at 7 months old

Then my female layed eggs a few weeks after and they were fertile my broody chicken hatched them out with no problems

 

[desertdarlene]

I'm not an expert, but I do notice that last summer's rouen-mix ducklings at our lake are beginning to act like they're getting ready to lay. Most of them are between 6 and 8 months old. But, since they're wild, they might not lay until March or April.

Mostly, I am commenting because I wanted to say that you have some really nice looking ducks! They look like some of the rouens/rouen mixes at our lake.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I'm surprised yours haven't started yet. They usually start mating shortly after the males get their drake feathers. Egg laying starts probably a month, maybe two months later. Our runners that hatched late July/early August started laying eggs about 2-3 weeks ago.

Your ducks are very pretty!!

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I have 2 muscovies...and I got them last August..the hen was on a clutch of eggs when I got her so the lady said(she was at a poultry sale) she said she should lay in a couple of weeks, but as of yet, no eggs.. I was wondering if they need "X" amount of day light hours like chickens do to produce eggs???

 

[desertdarlene]

D'Angelo N Va. :

I have 2 muscovies...and I got them last August..the hen was on a clutch of eggs when I got her so the lady said(she was at a poultry sale) she said she should lay in a couple of weeks, but as of yet, no eggs.. I was wondering if they need "X" amount of day light hours like chickens do to produce eggs???

I read that ducks, as well as many other birds, do require a certain amount of light in order to produce eggs. That's one of the reasons why wild ducks breed at certain times of the year. But, as I understand it, domestic ducks can be encouraged to lay during the winter months if they are provided artificial lighting.​

 

[duckking]

We have 3 Mallards and 1 Rouen who are 5 months old. We have a Rouen drake who is about 8 months old and I have just noticed him trying to mount one of the mallards in the pool. She would having nothing to do with him. I haven't seen any hint from the females that they are ready yet. We're keeping watch as well. Maybe the mallards are still too young? But he is definitely ready.