Egg Drought

[Dwen]

I have a question for you all,

What is the longest your ducks have gone after a molt before they started laying again? I have a small flock of harlequins that I bought last fall. They were all laying by March/April, but molted in May. There was another molt about the end of summer, and there still aren't any eggs. I feed flock raiser, as there are a number of different sexes and breeds in my flock, but they have access to oyster shell free choice.

I can't blame loss of light, abrupt changes to feed/environment, or stress caused by predators,(even the rat snake has stopped coming) So I'm not sure what to do. They certainly eat enough, but I have had them almost a year and barely got a dozen eggs each.

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Wynette]

I have a question for you all,

What is the longest your ducks have gone after a molt before they started laying again? I have a small flock of harlequins that I bought last fall. They were all laying by March/April, but molted in May. There was another molt about the end of summer, and there still aren't any eggs. I feed flock raiser, as there are a number of different sexes and breeds in my flock, but they have access to oyster shell free choice.

I can't blame loss of light, abrupt changes to feed/environment, or stress caused by predators,(even the rat snake has stopped coming) So I'm not sure what to do. They certainly eat enough, but I have had them almost a year and barely got a dozen eggs each.

Has this happened to anyone else?

The daylight hours are diminishing - that's what happens naturally this time of year, and so - naturally - the ducks are slowing down or stopping altogether. It's just part of nature's plan, just as the leaves fall from the trees in the fall. The ducks - and trees - are taking a break now, and will be resting up for the next round of eggs - and leaves!

 

[Dwen]

I thought of that, but it doesn't explain an all-summer-strike.