I have no knowledge of how to keep laying ducks. Please help!

[Glenda Sue]

I have two female Cayuga and two male. Everyone said to get and read Storey's book on Ducks. So I did. It didn't tell me a lot of what I need to know. My mother in law had a couple duck eggs she put in her hens nest to hatch but had to wet them every day. That's how I found out a duck needs water close to her nest. 30-40 yards is not close enough. I've been finding eggs around the pond instead of in the nest boxes in the duck coop. So I put a kiddy pool with about 5 or 6 gallons of water in it and a ramp in and steps out. The next day I find 4 eggs in two nest boxes. Now I ask you. What else am I missing? Please help!
Do they need layer feed if they seem to be getting enough grit from the ground?
Should I put a bright light in the coop for about 4 hours a night or keep a 40 w light on all night?
Will they still lay on the eggs since I put the ones from the yard in the nests with the new ones?
When/if the eggs hatch should I keep the mothers lender up with the babies and separated from one another unti the babies are old enough to travel to the pond and not be picked off by the Hawks?
When/if the eggs hatch could they all eat flock raiser with yeast in it?
They have their nests right next to ea h other should I move one over?

 

[Kaessa]

Make sure they have oyster shell if you're not giving them layer feed. They really need that extra calcium!

 

[needlessjunk]

Have you read through these? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

Ducks are unlike chickens and tend to lay wherever especially when first starting. Now that they know they should lay in their house they should keep it up no matter how far away the water is.

Ducks need calcium to lay so mist of us out out free choice oyster shell. They usually can't find enough calcium in foraging and even layer pellets don't always have enough calcium.

Duck don't need light or nightlights. Some use lights in th winter months since there usually isn't enough daylight hours but you need to read up on that. I personally won't do it.

How is the mating going between the 2 males and 2 females? Usually you need more females than males to keep peace and prevent over mating. Also how old are your ducks?

Ducks take longer to hatch than chicken eggs do and need more humidity. Just because your ducks are laying doesn't mean they want to sit and hatch them. One of them will have to go broody and start sitting all day and night. You cannot make a duck sit of they don't want to.

 

[Glenda Sue]

I think one drake is mating with both females. And I don't see the females sitting on the eggs. Should I take the eggs out or let them go for a while. We have 13 eggs so far. This is thier first season as mature ducks. They are sleeping out by the pond instead of in the coop. Should I lock them up at night?

 

[Kaessa]

I think one drake is mating with both females. And I don't see the females sitting on the eggs. Should I take the eggs out or let them go for a while. We have 13 eggs so far. This is thier first season as mature ducks. They are sleeping out by the pond instead of in the coop. Should I lock them up at night?

Yes, you should lock them up at night. If you leave them out, they will wind up as dinner for some roaming predator.