Freeloading ducks

[Duckie48]

Hi to all, I have about 13 ducks and only 2 or 3 lay. Some of my girls have never laid. some only occasionally.
I have 3 or 4 that lay something every other day then stop for a bit.
At the moment I have 2 layers on the nest with no eggs. I don't want ducklings at the moment and these 2 won't get off the nest.
They are in there together sharing. If I give them an egg each they will fight over it when on or the other gets off for a drink or to eat.
My question is this, or two actually.
What can I do to increase the productivity of the occasional layer and get eggs from the non layer.
I have Muscovey only.They are supposed to be good layers.
I feed them Barastoc darling Downs Layer. It has 15% protein. Should I just give them Duck mash?
I also feed them greens, e.g. cabbage, whole collies chopped up, wombok and all other vegetables I can give raw.
I occasionally give them rice and pasta when available cooked. I don't give them avocados or onion.

I am a bit tired of having non productive birds.

 

[sourland]

In my experience, muscovies are not a good choice for egg production - they tend to be seasonal layers and generally lay a clutch and then go broody.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like my Muscovy's for their personality not their egg laying prowness, lol. They are good layers when they lay but they want to broody more than lay, My Scovy's are good at keeping the bug population down but my egg layers are my chickens.

 

[txcarl1258]

Mine actually laid well from January to October. They haven't laid lately since they started molting. I do have them penned and gather the eggs daily to keep them from going broody. I did let each of the three girls go broody once this year. I feed mine 20% flock raiser. Try raising your protein levels that might help.

 

[Duckie48]

I have gone from 15% to 16.5% yesterday. I don't know of a seed other than duck mas that has 20% here.

 

[txcarl1258]

If you have access to purina feeds flock raiser is a good choice. I feed it to mine from hatch to adult hood.

 

[Duckie48]

Hi, yes we can get Purina but I will have to find out who and how much.
Purina is a expensive choice in dog food, I know that for sure, so I will ask at a couple of places about chook food.
Ordinary lay mash, mixed grain, Darling downs layer etc range from $17 to $27 per 20kg. The cheap one at $15.50 is a mixed grain with pellets in but not high enough in protein so I wasn't getting large or many eggs out of 22 hens. maybe 3 or 4 a day.
I am taking on board the advice that I have been getting here and will let you know how I go.