Its spring time why are my ducks not laying eggs......

[Amiga]

Sounds like you are doing well by them, so it may be one of those strange things, like perhaps a very low level of parasite infestation, or something in the water (look for iamcuriositycat's situation with ducks not laying).

You could try changing their feed to another kind of layer feed. How about the chickens? Laying okay?

Have you tried giving them poultry vitamins with electrolytes and probiotics? Have you tried a little apple cider vinegar in their water?

 

[farm girl]

what other food can i give them?

 

[Amiga]

I don't know if they have feed 24/7, but if not, I would start letting them have food more often. I would add a handful of hard winter wheat to their food, and make sure they have oyster shell free choice available all the time, too.

You write that they are free range, sometimes going out in the evening. One of the things that concerns me is safety. Are the ducks safe especially at night?

Anyway, it is possible they are hiding their eggs. In one case, I know someone whose guineas are free range, and one of the family dogs goes out early in the morning and finds and eats the eggs. Could something like that be happening?

Those are my thoughts.

 

[farm girl]

well i let them out in the evenings, put them away at night. Also they get plenty of oyster shells and what is hard winter wheat? Nothing is getting in the pin! Oh, they hide there eggs all the time but they have not been laying so i can not find the eggs. Trust me they are not there.

 

[Amiga]

Hard winter wheat is a whole wheat. Some call it wheat berries.

Anyway it is a very nutritious food. Not a complete ration, but it has vitamins and protein and calories. I like to add a little flax seed to the ducks' diet, too, when I have it.

 

[farm girl]

were do i get it?

 

[Amiga]

Some feed stores and some grocery stores carry it.

 

[farm girl]

I did nothing and they stared to lay, now there back to normal!

 

[Kimmyh51]

I am having similar problems
It's mid/late spring here, and the temperatures have been warm but not overly hot. There is still almost two months before we hit the longest day, so sunlight hrs are getting longer not shorter.
Of around 20 ducks that should be laying (not nesting or raising ducklings) only 14-17 are doing so. None are moulting that I can see and most of them are only around 1 year old the rest apart from 2 are on their second laying season. The two older girls are both laying so age isn't the issue.
They are fed westons peak layer ad lib, plus oyster shell, and treats such as peas, lettuce and a little wheat.

There are drakes around, though not all as due to over mating issues I am keeping most the drakes separate and rotating them in with the girls. A couple of weeks ago I was getting 20 plus eggs a day.

Can anyone suggest any ways to kick start the others back into laying or any ideas why they have stopped?

There are no issues with predators and no other changes to their environment or diet I can think of. Ducks are Khaki Campbell, and Indan Runner mostly, possibly some silver appleyard.

Only other change is they are not given access to food at night now, as food containers are not rodent proof and I can't currently afford automated feeders.

Any ideas would be appreciated as I really need the egg income. Also any ideas on reducing feed bill without affecting their nutrition and laying.