Getting ducks to lay in coop? any tips?

[jmurno]

So I have 2 ducks that are laying now. One lays in the coop each morning. The other plops her egg down wherever she happens to be, which is usually in the river or in the brush! I have fished eggs out from the riverbed haha!
I have a light that stays on from sundown to 8PM and turns on again at 6:20AM. Coop door opens at 8:25.
Any tips for getting my one duck to lay in the coop?

 

[MerryMeridional]

You can open the door later. Though, if you have someone lay in the afternoon it'll probably still lay outside.

Especially in the summer when the days are long and everyone is laying, I open the door pretty late. Rarely I still find an egg outside. Winter I open the door as early as I can so they can have more outside time. Our days get so short.

 

[Isadora]

Opening the door later is going to help the most.

 

[DukesDucks]

I'm thinking your ducks are free ranging during the day since one is laying outside the coop. Usually mine lay inside the coop, but I have found eggs in their water dish, kiddie pool, and just random places in the run. Mostly their eggs are laid early morning. Do you have a run you could confine them in for the mornings.
Sorry I don't have any other suggestions but I do have a question. Why are you providing lighting? Natural rhythm has shorter days at this time of year.

 

[jmurno]

I'm thinking your ducks are free ranging during the day since one is laying outside the coop. Usually mine lay inside the coop, but I have found eggs in their water dish, kiddie pool, and just random places in the run. Mostly their eggs are laid early morning. Do you have a run you could confine them in for the mornings.
Sorry I don't have any other suggestions but I do have a question. Why are you providing lighting? Natural rhythm has shorter days at this time of year.

Well, from what I understand, my ducks and chickens will lay fewer eggs all winter with the shorter days or perhaps lay no eggs at all. But if I provide artificial lighting a little in the morning and evening to make the day seem longer, then they will keep laying. Is that correct or have I got some bad information?

 

[jmurno]

Opening the door later is going to help the most.

I already keep them in until 8:30 and sunrise is at about 6:15 or 6:30. Do you think I should keep them in the coop longer?

 

[Isadora]

I already keep them in until 8:30 and sunrise is at about 6:15 or 6:30. Do you think I should keep them in the coop longer?

Yes. I wouldn't let them out until 11 or so.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Leaving some dummy eggs in the coop may help but no guarantees.

 

[DukesDucks]

I was curious about the idea of using artificial lights to extend egg laying. If you use the Search - Advanced Search - Artificial light - there are some interesting discussions about it regarding chickens but I would think the same would apply to ducks. Most posters did not seem to be in favour of using lights.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Our days are getting shorter here in Ohio but two of my ducks are still laying. They have a large area that they live in and one of them will lay an egg just about anywhere. I wanted to get a trail cam to see which duck was doing it so that I could possibly confine her. I don't have an SD reader on any of my equipment and I am not sure if it is worth the cost to find out. My Mallard for sure lays inside one of the houses that I have for them. The other duck which is either a Khaki Campbell or a Muscovy just plops it down anywhere and will bury it in the mud if she can find some. The ground has been frozen so she hasn't been able to for the past few days. Mine don't lay until between 9-10 am.