Frequency of egg laying

[mariehanson]

Hi guys just looking for some advice about how often my ducks should be laying. I have two female white Campbells who get to free range in my large garden for about 15 hours a day. They are approx 17weeks old and we found a lovely white egg left in the middle of the lawn for the first time four days ago. Unfortunately one of the ducks is on baytril for a possible sinus infection and since we don't know which duck laid the egg we can't eat it.
Since then I have been checking their pen and under all the large bushes and even taken to using a net to check the bottom of the pond but there doesn't seem to be any more eggs. Is this normal? Do ducks start laying slowly to start with then pick up frequency or should it be regular? They have a wide and varied diet of layer pellets, cracked corn and grit daily with a different treat ever day such as lettuce, peas or even cornflakes (low in salt and sugar). They seem happy and I checked if they were egg bound but I'm not sure what I'm looking for to be honest. Can anyone reassure me that everything is normal or am I missing something obvious?

 

[Going Quackers]

At first it can be staggered, later on i find in varies.. honestly, i have quite a few and could not tell who all is laying what.. they seem to be a few a week, on occasion i'll get a string of everyone laying, especially if somebody goes broody(and with the main duck breed here being Muscovy, that's a lot)

Do they have a nice quiet area in which to lay? hopefully you can encourage use of one, don't get me wrong ducks lay where they want, i discover nests here all the time, my horse barn, my hay barn, under farm equipment and my girls do have an area to lay(many young have been raised) they like to just drive me crazy, i think lol

 

[mariehanson]

So its been two weeks since the one lonely egg appeared on the lawn, we have not had any since. I have been checking every day under bushes and in the pond with no luck. The girls get locked up in their coop at night with plenty of straw bedding, water and layer pellets. I have also bought some fake rubber eggs to put in their coop to try and trick them but that doesn't seem to make any difference either. As far as I am aware they have a very good diet with plenty of grit and layer pellets and get a veggie treat every evening. Anyone got some advice as to what is going on? I would hate to think that my girls were egg bound but they seem healthy and happy with and no obvious signs of illness (the Baytril has now been completed and I'm looking forward to eating some eggs!).

 

[Nebraskagirl]

My Welsh Harlequin did something to yours. She laid two or three in a row and then quit for several days. Then she would lay every other day for a week, but since then she has been laying like clockwork. It can take time, be patient. If they are eating, drinking, pooping and acting like a normal duck, there should be nothing to worry about. Another thing I thought about is the time of year. We are heading into autumn and the daylight hours are shorter, which can affect laying. So can molting. If she is molting she might not lay.

 

[mariehanson]

Thanks Nebraskagirl, its good to know that my ducks behaviour isn't abnormal. I guess I am just being impatient but I suppose if they seem happy and healthy then the eggs are just a bonus. There does seem a lot of feathers in the pond and on the lawn but that has been constant since we got them two months ago, perhaps they are still growing into their adult feathers?
The girls have had a complete turnaround in personality this week, they keep following me around the garden and prefer to eat food from my hand than off the ground, whereas before they would run away scared from me. I'm not complaining, I'm loving the attention and the chatter conversation they gave me when I'm with them, its like they are telling me about their day

. Although it would be nice to be able to have my evening meal in peace without them coming into the conservatory to see whats going on or to peck at the door if I have closed it, naughty little monsters.
Thanks again for the reassurance, I'm just being a paranoid first time duck mamma.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

Thanks Nebraskagirl, its good to know that my ducks behaviour isn't abnormal. I guess I am just being impatient but I suppose if they seem happy and healthy then the eggs are just a bonus. There does seem a lot of feathers in the pond and on the lawn but that has been constant since we got them two months ago, perhaps they are still growing into their adult feathers?
The girls have had a complete turnaround in personality this week, they keep following me around the garden and prefer to eat food from my hand than off the ground, whereas before they would run away scared from me. I'm not complaining, I'm loving the attention and the chatter conversation they gave me when I'm with them, its like they are telling me about their day

. Although it would be nice to be able to have my evening meal in peace without them coming into the conservatory to see whats going on or to peck at the door if I have closed it, naughty little monsters.
Thanks again for the reassurance, I'm just being a paranoid first time duck mamma.

Oh that is so neat they do that! They seem very happy and healthy; which is the main thing. I remember waiting for the first egg...it was agony at times! And then when she did lay and then stopped, then got irregular I worried because I was doing something wrong. Just had to be patient. My hubby put it best, "They are not machines. They are animals." HA!

 

[Going Quackers]

I agree if they seem normal overall, then i don't think it would be cause for concern. I don't find ducks at least the non hybrid super laying type to be as consistent as chickens when it comes to laying but again breed will effect this too.

My days are getting shorter here already, so that will effect egg production.