Ducks Stopped Laying?

[Blackdodge89]

Hello, I'm new to this site so forgive me if this has been answered in previous threads. I searched and saw people asked the same question, but never got answered.

My wife and I have two Pekin/Muscovy hybrid (decided by local farm store, we rescued them). They are around 2 1/2 years old. The female has been laying the ENTIRE time we have had them, almost one a day. I built them a nice sized coop, they've got about a 200 gallon pond to swim in, I let them roam around in a section of our yard all day and lock them up safely at night... I would say they are about as happy as tame, pet ducks could be.

This past easter, the same local farm store had ducklings left over and the salesman talked us into saving the two last ducks they had. We took them home and kept them separate from the adults because the adult drake didn't like them very much. They've since imprinted on him and follow him around EVERYWHERE.They are roughly 6 months old.

Now to my question... Total I have got two drakes and two females. The adult male/female and baby male/female. I haven't seen an egg since we have gotten the babies. She did molt, so I thought maybe that was it... but she still hasn't laid an egg 5 months later. They all seem healthy; eat, drink, swim, run... I can get dimensions of the coop when I get home, but I really don't think size is an issue because when I built it, I knew we would probably get two more so I sized it for future flock expansion. We change the straw religiously once a week and the water in the pond twice a week so I don't believe dirty conditions play a factor either.

Any insight would be appreciated! Thank you all and may God bless!

 

[purslanegarden]

Did you get them for egg-laying purposes? What variety are they?

I wonder if changing their area to human's clean standards every week could be affecting them. When did you start doing that?

I am not sure if age could be a possible reason, but maybe others can comment on that

 

[Amiga]

Great that you have a heart to care for the ducks!

Laying patterns can be confusing. I know that there are many factors, and that my Runners slowed way down at about 30 months. Slowed down means that they took longer rests between laying seasons. Their first year they laid 16 months straight, from 8 to 10 eggs daily for me from 10 ducks.

Then they took a two month break, then laid for 14 straight months.

Then they took a three month break, laid for about 10 months, and so on.

Now they are six and a half years old and I still get a few eggs daily from spring to mid fall.

Hormones are part of the equation. It may be by having two drakes, some of the social dynamic has shifted a bit. Do keep a close eye out - drakes can overmate ducks, and with two drakes it could be two on one. This could happen any time with no warning. Also some drakes can get competitive with each other.

That does not mean it has to happen in your case - but it is common. So be watchful.

Flock dynamics can affect hormones and laying.

Meanwhile, there are other things - diet, environmental stresses (has a stray cat showed up?), parasites, low grade infection.

I keep our pens pretty immaculate (for ducks), so I don't think I would be concerned about that. In my case, I try to keep ahead so that if I cannot get to it one day it's not a big deal.

Ducks can hide eggs. Even in the bedding. I don't know how they do it sometimes...

 

[Blackdodge89]

She hasn't laid in about 5 months. There's not really anywhere for her to hide them because the pen I clean once a week, and although at one time I just scooped the old bedding out and put new in, I've been checking for eggs the last 3 months. And we've cleaned it once a week since we've had them. The only thing I could think of/research was to deworm them. I did that yesterday so we will see. They lay regardless of mating, so I don't think the drake "overmating" would be an issue. The drake/hen ratio definitely may be, but they all get along. They used to squabble here and there but the two younger follow the older around like their parents now. The two older are sterile since they're mules (pekin/muscovey hybrid) and the two younger are pekin.

I appreciate all of the input, I'm really stressed something is wrong with my female. The younger one I'm not too worried about because she is only about 6 months. However, the older one is over 2 and had been laying for over a year, then stopped for over 5 months.

 

[chickens really]

I have a two year old white Call hen and she has not laid an egg since last summer. Nor do the drakes even want to breed with her. I think she became infertile.? She is a sweet hen so I keep her. Selling my Call drake so he can breed a hen instead of my other drake.....Silly Ducks

As stated, it could be the two drake dynamics and the introduction of new birds that has slowed things down.

Best of luck

 

[Blackdodge89]

I hope. Hopefully time will tell. It makes me nervous in the meantime. Thanks again!

 

[chickens really]

I hope. Hopefully time will tell. It makes me nervous in the meantime. Thanks again!

Don't be nervous....It will all work out....

 

[Amiga]

If it is an oviduct problem a good vet might help. But not always an option.

 

[Blackdodge89]

I took her to the vet a while back for a bump on her bottom. It looked as though an egg was lodged but she was still laying. He said she's just fat lol they're bred for their breasts and liver so high protein food makes their bottom fatty. But he said she didn't have an egg lodged and her oviduct seemed fine. That's been about 12 months ago though. I guess it wouldn't hurt taking her back. They all loved seeing a duck lol