I am not an advocate for using artificial light to get my hens and ducks to lay when they should be having a rest.When daylight diminishes in the fall it triggers the girls to slow down in egg production and give their bodies a rest till the daylight begins to lengthen. This year I had to buy eggs for the fist time in about 4 yrs because all my girls stopped laying when they went into molt and have now just started back up again. I feel when egg laying dwindles in fall it's their signal to give their bodies a break, which keeps them healthier than if forced to continue the egg laying process under artificial means.I want my girls to start back up in their egg laying process rested and ready to begin a new season with out having their bodies taxed from laying when they should have been resting. Just my thoughts on this.
Mine usually begin to start laying around Feb. I've even had a few lay eggs in Jan. but some wait till march so you just never know when you might go out and find an egg or 2 or more. Since I have Muscovy's I can't say how it works with other breeds but usually once I see mating I usually start seeing eggs about 2-3 weeks later. If you don't have a drake I'm not sure how it will work with your girls most likely as the days get longer. Actually when I first started with Muscovy's over 10 yrs now all my ducks waited until late march to start back laying but seems my younger girls 3 and younger lay earlier last year it was Jan. so you never can tell what one year to another may bring, but for sure you'll have eggs again
