Ducks quit laying eggs?

[Rdillenbeck]

Hello all this is Rebecca and it is my first time raising ducks. We have five cayucas in total four females and one male. They seem to all be getting along well after integrating my older 3 ducks with my younger two ducks born in May and August respectively. The new transition together was late November. Only one female duck looks a little worse for wear, she is my Drake's favorite female. She has minimal feather loss on the back of her neck from his breeding. younger two ducks born in May and August respectively. The new transition together was late November. only one female duck looks a little worse for wear, she is my Drake's Fame favorite female. she has minimal feather loss on the back of her neck from his breeding. Otherwise the plant is healthy and free ranges often throughout the day. I feed them all flock food mixed with layer formula. I supplement with snacks of green peas Frozen fresh, mealworms, some black sunflower seeds and cracked corn. My ducks are not quite a year old but had started laying before the fall setting. Now in Michigan the weather is in the 40s today and it's supposed to snow again tomorrow. Could this be the reason that they have stopped laying? Their run is a 15 by 9 by 12 ft, and their coop is a 4 by 5 with 20 square foot in total with two 18 gallon nesting totes available. The coupe is insulated, warm with both hey Pine pellets and pine shavings layered. Good ventilation and cleaned often. They have fresh water in a 5 gallon, and access to food Plus rear-ending available. Help! I have no idea what else to do!
We are soon to add 4-5 ducks to our small flock and adding another 4×5 coop. I'm just worried that we are doing something wrong for them to stop production with the warm winter we are having.
#firstTIMEduckMAMA
#anyADVICEwelcome

 

[Miss Lydia]

During fall when daylight diminishes egg laying usually drops off too since egg layers needs around 14 hrs of daylight to lay. Days are getting longer and you should soon see eggs again soon. I’M in Western N. C. So mid part of country and my 8 month old Runners have just this week started to lay none of my adults have started back yet but I image by end of Jan I will be seeing more. Only one chicken just started back too. Patience is the key lol

 

[DuckyDonna]

don't worry, they are just taking the "seasonal" break from laying like @Miss Lydia said.

 

[Texag87]

Longer days are already helping. Today we got a K/C egg for the first time since November and two Rouen eggs. Most days recently it’s a Pekin and a Rouen. Our Pekin took the day off.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Don’t feel bad...I’ve had up to 51 ducks this whole year with no eggs until this past week because the days are starting to get longer...it has to do more with hours of light than cold for egg laying...so, it’ll ramp up..and this is coming from the eggless wonder!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Dear eggless wonder

 

[Rdillenbeck]

Thank you so much for your answers! I guess I will wait more patiently lol
Ugh! I was so pumped when they started laying before winter
Also I have more questions now. Does this decreases egg production happen every fall/winter? Do ducks also have molting in the fall like chickens? Does this cause decreased egg production also? Thanks so much for all your responses!

 

[DuckyDonna]

I guess this is the right thread to ask this question. Is it ok if your ducks don't stop laying?

My ducks haven't completely stopped in a year. I keep track on a spreadsheet (just call me hillbilly jr.) and I've been getting eggs consistently for a year now. Instead of 6 from my old girls every day I'm getting at least 2-3 every day. The shells aren't as thick as the youngster's eggs but they aren't bad. I have no way of knowing who out of the 6 aren't laying, maybe they're all laying but just not every day? IDK, is this normal?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nothing you can do we have Runners and they are laying machines. Mine are going on 4 yrs now and this is the first time they all quit laying in late Oct mid November and haven't started back yet. When they first started laying they were 4and half months and laid a straight 18 months I was really getting worried.

 

[Ratchnick]

Molting will often cause the duck to stop molting, because feathers are made of protien, and feathers are more important then eggs. Most serious egg producers force molt the birds once a year too keep everyone on schedule, and give them a break