How can I get my muscovies to lay in the winter?

[freevillein]

You guys have been so awesome in helping me and answering my questions that I thought I'd lob another one at you. This is my first winter with ducks. I have muscovies in an unheated (but fairly snug) house with access to an open pen. I live in New York state, so it gets pretty cold, but they seem to be doing fine. The thing is, I'd like to get them to start laying again. I currently have a light that comes on from about 4 to 8:30pm. Will that work? Should I do different hours? Do I need a special light? Or does temperature have something to do with it? My chicken is still laying like normal, light or no light. I just have to get the egg before it freezes.

 

[sourland]

Muscovies in my experience have always been seasonal layers. I would guess that extending day light hours might get them to lay, but I am not sure. If extensive egg production is your goal, there are breeds that are better suited for that purpose.

 

[freevillein]

I'm in the process of trying to get better egg breeds. But I do like my muscovies for their broodiness (I'm planning to use them to set everybody's eggs next year). I was just wondering for this winter, because my ducks kind of stopped laying while I still had outstanding orders for their eggs...

But if they're seasonal layers, perhaps I'm just out of luck... :/

 

[Going Quackers]

As said their seasonal, i don't think a light will change that in the least, mine usually stop Oct and resume by Feb, to be perfectly honest i think birds need the rest, yes, i know there are higher production egg layers but that comes with trade-offs. You have to sort which matters most. In prime season i consider in my experience Muscovy to be of decent laying quality.