Ducks not laying!!!

[windleysmith]

I am new to this site and would appreciate any help I can get!!! I was given 4 female ducks last spring. They laid a normal amount of eggs until last November when they Stopped.. I understand winter months and all so I was not to concerned. They have not laid since then!!! There were 2 runners and 2 white Pekings to start with, one runner died. I do not know how old the ducks are but I think they are about 3-4 years old. What can I do to get them to lay again.

 

[Pyxis]

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First question, are they in a run or are they free range? Also, what are you feeding them?

 

[windleysmith]

They are in a 30-50 foot fenced pen. We feed laying pellets that has the oyster shell already in it. The white ones are on the fat side. The runner is on the slim side. There is a small coupe in the pen that they go in but don't seem to like it much.

!

First question, are they in a run or are they free range? Also, what are you feeding them?

 

[windleysmith]

Sorry about all the weird entry's but my computer keeps kicking me out!!!
We just added 18 chickens to the pen. They seem to get along pretty good so far. I have to learn to sex the chickens. I ask for 4-6 and my daughter in laws brother sent me 20. It is alittle overwhelming!!!! The chickens are about 20weeks old.

 

[Pyxis]

Alright, that sounds okay for them. I asked about free ranging because if they were it would be possible that they had a nest out somewhere that you didn't know about.

You may want to switch to an all flock feed instead of the layer, something like Purina Flock Raiser. It's better for ducks than a regular layer feed.

Is the pen in pretty good condition? One of my runs had turned into a mud pit this year and the birds were very unhappy; they didn't give me any eggs until I built a new run for them. Now, they are happy and laying.

 

[windleysmith]

I believe it is in good condition. There are several areas that provide a lot of shade. Also the fence is in good condition. There are several smaller srubs around the front of the pen. It is not soggy or wet. We are in Texas and it is hot and dry where we are. Even when it rains their pen drys quickly. I will try the new feed and see how it goes, thank you.

 

[Pyxis]

Good luck!c Hopefully it's not that they're too old to lay and it's something you can fix If not, you might need to get some ducklings in the spring. It's always good to have an excuse to get ducklings

 

[windleysmith]

Thank you. I look at the duck every time the feed store gets them in. My Daughter who is our "Ranch Manager" just looks and me and says NO!!! She almost died when my DIL brought the chickens from Mississippi and there were so many of them!!!

 

[Pyxis]

But now you have an excuse You need duck eggs, right? Lol.