How to get ducks to lay eggs in the winter?

[scooter1989]

I have call ducks. They have a nice little coop filled with straws and a heat lamp inside. They go outside during the day to bath in warm water and eat duck pellets and corn, during the night they are cooped up. The breeder I got them from said all hers are laying eggs already. She said because of the heat lamp inside the coop. She said hers are eating chicken layer pellets with some whets and corn. Does anyone know how I can make mine start laying eggs at this time?

What should I do? I want to have duckies for Easter.

Thanks:
Scooter1989

 

[Pyxis]

You could try adding a light to the coop. Not necessarily a heat lamp; like an incandescent light on a timer that comes on early in the morning. Ducks are triggered to lay eggs partially by the length of the day (it's a hormone thing) so adding a light on a timer might help.

 

[Grassman 52]

I use a light on a timer all year for my chickens - they lay all year. Now I have muscovys and they have been laying since late November. Now most people will tell you that muscovys only lay in the spring to late fall, mine are being influenced by the lights in the chicken coop - Try the lights, can't hurt and it's cheep.

 

[scooter1989]

Thanks you for your reply! I added the light, but not heat lamp and it started to work after a week or so.

 

[iluvsedward]

If you use energy efficient bulbs they get lighter and lighter slowly, which is more natural then just a sudden bright light.

 

[jdywntr]

Adding light to increase egg laying needs to be done with care and should not just be started and stopped. Young ducks can start laying to early with added light which is bad for them. Force molting also needs to be done because their normal rhythum is thrown off.