Ducks stopped laying with new geese

[designbyaleks]

I introduced young geese to my duck flock this past spring to act as our warning for predators. The geese were small - no bigger than the ducks at the time, and grew gradually.

The flock dynamics seem great (two geese, one gander, 8 ducks) but the ducks have stopped laying since - and haven’t resumed at all! I thought it was the stress of change, but it’s been so long I’m now having doubts. In the meantime, one confused goose has laid a few late fall/winter eggs that are both massive and delicious, confirming that it’s not likely a diet or environment issue. Is there anything I can do to make my ducks resume their usual production?

 

[Miss Lydia]

The ducks aren't being picked on? How old are the ducks? sometimes when adding more to a flock laying can stop but this seems unusual since they haven't laid since spring. Are they all kept in the same coop? Maybe adding something like a crate with bedding for the ducks to have a bit of privacy when laying. My ducks love to lay in their crates. I had 2 given to me that didn't have doors so I gave them to the ducks for laying .

 

[designbyaleks]

Thanks for the reply! It seems they all get along fine - mostly ignoring each other, as far as I can see during the day. They all free-range and have lots of space in the yard, and choose to mostly hang out together as they roam about. Though I'm not sure how the dynamics look at night, nobody seems to come out in the morning worse for wear and they seem to sleep in their favourite corners. (yes they share a coop - roughly a 12x12 space) I will give the 'crate' method a try!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the reply! It seems they all get along fine - mostly ignoring each other, as far as I can see during the day. They all free-range and have lots of space in the yard, and choose to mostly hang out together as they roam about. Though I'm not sure how the dynamics look at night, nobody seems to come out in the morning worse for wear and they seem to sleep in their favourite corners. (yes they share a coop - roughly a 12x12 space) I will give the 'crate' method a try!

At least try it and see if it makes a difference you never know. I know when my gander was alive and his goose mate they mostly got along with everyone else but they never were pals with the ducks and they did their own thing If any chicken or duck got into their space heads came down and that meant back off. It wasn't until my Gander passed away at almost 15 that my goose fell in love with the ducks and became their leader. They also had their own house until my gander passed then I moved Missy in with the ducks.
Might want to make sure this spring that the geese are still acting nice to the ducks since it will probably be their first year of mating and laying. My gander was Embden, and my goose is Toulouse which might make a difference in what I witnessed when I had both of them.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hey…
You need to go on a serious egg hunt … You said you let them free range,, so that means there may be some nests of eggs hidden out there… maybe hundreds of them lol