Is it "egg laying" season yet?

[Nebraskagirl]

Thanks Amiga and jdywntr, I will be visiting the store to get some. I have a drake with her as well. It's ok for him to eat it too, right?

 

[Going Quackers]

ok I dont get this? my 5 indian runner girls still give me 4-5 eggs a day! throughout the winter and its been very cold at times here! Maybe my girls are a little too enthusiastic? not that I am complaining! since my egg sales usually leave me without any chicken eggs we still have the duck eggs for brekkie!

Aren't runners known for good egg laying though? Breed for sure plays a role mine are egg laying but not prolific.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks Amiga and jdywntr, I will be visiting the store to get some. I have a drake with her as well. It's ok for him to eat it too, right?

I put out free choice oyster shell here as i do not feed layer food(and i mean for anyone, chickens and ducks) the drakes usually ignore the bowl as they have no need for extra.

 

[Amiga]

I have read that drakes and non-laying ducks are better off without layer feed, as too much calcium may be a long term problem.

And now that I have a drake AND a buff duck who has calcium-absorption problems

I find myself trying to balance the two.

So, if your ducks do fine with maintenance feed and oyster shell on the side, that's the best combo. I am still tweaking the feed here, and leaning toward getting Miss Low Calcium back up to snuff because her case is more urgent, short-term. Bean will get extra no-calcium treats to level off his calcium intake.

Bean has not touched the free choice oyster shell, by the way. But several of my girls nom it down like candy, when they're laying or getting ready to lay.

 

[jdywntr]

My drake and the ducklings will nibble at the oyster shell and crushed egg shells. I think it is just to see what is in that bowl, although its always the same thing.

Amiga is right that technically drakes and non-laying ducks shouldn't be fed layer. If you happen to have ducks/chickens that lay all year then you could switch to a layer feed once they've started. Personally, I think that switching feeds a few times a year is just too much work. So, non-layer feed and calcium supplements for me.

 

[Going Quackers]

I have read that drakes and non-laying ducks are better off without layer feed, as too much calcium may be a long term problem.

And now that I have a drake AND a buff duck who has calcium-absorption problems

I find myself trying to balance the two.

So, if your ducks do fine with maintenance feed and oyster shell on the side, that's the best combo. I am still tweaking the feed here, and leaning toward getting Miss Low Calcium back up to snuff because her case is more urgent, short-term. Bean will get extra no-calcium treats to level off his calcium intake.

Bean has not touched the free choice oyster shell, by the way. But several of my girls nom it down like candy, when they're laying or getting ready to lay.

I think the trouble with feed is there is no one size fits all answer, i mean i know COF dislikes flock raiser and doesn't like how it works with their birds but it works well with mine, you sorta have to navigate through the options and see how the birds take to it. Since what i do is providing good results i don't change it.

 

[Rmstuck]

My 4 Ancona girls started laying feb 3rd and I have been getting 4eggs a day since I'm just over in central Iowa. So it shouldn't be too much longer for you. Mine started doing the goofy head bobbing thing and I knew something was up.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

My 4 Ancona girls started laying feb 3rd and I have been getting 4eggs a day since I'm just over in central Iowa. So it shouldn't be too much longer for you. Mine started doing the goofy head bobbing thing and I knew something was up.

Oh yeah, I have been getting a LOT of head bobbing. I have been using flock raiser from the start, but I will put out some oyster shell on the side as well just in case.
Amiga and others, thank you for the responses, I will update you all.

 

[Daisy9696]

My snowy call duck Lucy laid her first egg this morning! I came home from church and it was smashed, so either Linus or Lucy smashed it. Any ideas why?

 

[Apyl]

I just got my 1st egg of the year this morning from my Pekin I'm in Wisconsin and I still have about 6-8 inches of snow on the ground and its still pretty cold. I think its a high of 18 today.