How to Tell Which Ducks are Laying?

[Starbawk]

I have a jumble of adult ducks of various ages including some young Khacki Campbells who I do not think have started laying but they're close to the age they should be starting, so maybe one of them has... as well as some 'rescue' ducks including a Buff Orpington, a Magpie, a Pekin and a Golden 300. I'm pretty sure the Golden is laying... she had been laying every day then laid a clutch to try to hatch, but I think now she is laying again. I'm only getting about two eggs per day so I think she's laying and one of the others, or two of the others are laying every other day, or each of the others is laying every third day... The Orpington, Magpie and Pekin are all the most recent editions and are supposed to be about 3 or 4 years old. I know that as recently as early this spring the Magpie was laying at least and the guy I got them from thinks they were all laying. Is there a way you can tell if they have stopped laying due to age, like you can with chickens by looking at the feet and vents? Or any other way to do it other than separating them out one by one and monitoring if they lay?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Food coloring around the outside of the vent is one way different color for each duck of course. Also place 2 fingers between the pelvic bones is suppose to be a sign of a layer. Never tried either but I know @DuckyDonna did the food coloring.

 

[KaleIAm]

I can tell when mine are going to start laying in the spring because they will get their abdominal inflammation "pouch." Over the winter when they aren't laying their bellies are not so saggy/bloated appearing. But if one takes a couple days off (which they do a lot now that they are 6.5 and 7.5) their bellies don't change at all.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Without separating them I think food coloring would be the way to go. Doing the food coloring is a blast. (kidding) You'll need help because finding that vent isn't as easy as you might think. I brought my duck into the kitchen and laid her out on her back on a towel and had my husband hold her down while I dug around for the vent. It's amazing how small that thing is considering those big eggs come out of it. I put a good amount of food coloring in and around it.

Do NOT let them go swimming after doing that. The water will wash most of the coloring away. I learned that the hard way. It's best done right before bedtime.