How much daylight do ducks need to start laying eggs?

[Chris-n-Kate]

My ducks are almost 7 months old. They have been doing the deed and eating the oyster grit for almost 2 months, but not laying eggs at all, I’m assuming because it’s not the right season. The girls also have been able to fit 3 fingers between their butt bones for weeks. How many hours of light activates laying season so I can find out when my area will be the “right” season.

 

[johntfs]

It might be more temperature than light, depending on where you live. A lot of people have 24 hour lighting to boost egg production - though I've read that doing this isn't really good for the long-term health of the animals.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

I’m not going to add light. I’m looking to calculate at which point in the year there will be enough natural light.

 

[johntfs]

I’m not going to add light. I’m looking to calculate at which point in the year there will be enough natural light.

That's again going to depend on where you live. In terms of wild mallards, here in Tennessee we'll see egg laying start around late February. Figure the further north you go, the later it'll begin, the further south, the earlier.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well I was surprised to get 3 chicken eggs yesterday. After 2 months with out. I have 2 female Runners 8 months old no eggs yet and a 6 month old no eggs from her yet. And my 3.5 yr olds are not laying either. I expect days getting longer will get them started.

 

[PirateGirl]

It partly depends the breed of ducks as well. Not all breeds are prolific layers and some are more seasonal than others. If it is winter where you live, days are short, I would expect the egg production to be in full swing for a few months yet.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My ducks are still laying and we have 9½ hours of day"light" according to the NWS. We get 10-12 eggs daily out of 19 ducks and i am not sure if they just take turns or if some have stopped laying altogether.

 

[Quack head]

My two ducks were laying daily, one was taken by a predator, the survivor stopped for about three weeks and now is laying on a daily bases. Can't wait until the three younger ones get old enough to lay. We live in Central Tennessee and it gets dark around 4:30 pm. My ducks free range, they eat very little duck feed and the eggs are great, hard shell and large. We have Silver Appleyards.

 

[quackiemama]

I am still getting 3-5 eggs a day out of 7 females so I will consider myself lucky right about now.