Late laying

[davedin3]

We have five ducks, one kaki Campbell, 2 black Swedish, and two Cayugas, average 3-4 eggs a day. For the last week when I get up to let them out of the coop in the morning (around 6 am, I have a timer so the light comes on at 3 am) I find one egg buried. All of the ducks then move to the back door of the house where my wife has been feeding them, then they lay 2-3 more eggs... which are lost because they freeze and Crack (my wife and I have to work)

This last Sunday I left them in the coop until 9 am hoping to get more eggs, but they waited and laid after I let them outo again.

Does anyone know how to help adjust their lay times?

 

[Miss Lydia]

We have five ducks, one kaki Campbell, 2 black Swedish, and two Cayugas, average 3-4 eggs a day. For the last week when I get up to let them out of the coop in the morning (around 6 am, I have a timer so the light comes on at 3 am) I find one egg buried. All of the ducks then move to the back door of the house where my wife has been feeding them, then they lay 2-3 more eggs... which are lost because they freeze and Crack (my wife and I have to work)

This last Sunday I left them in the coop until 9 am hoping to get more eggs, but they waited and laid after I let them outo again.

Does anyone know how to help adjust their lay times?

@davedin3 Just a guess here but I wonder if you put a few fake eggs inside their house or if you can leave a few of their eggs inside so they are encouraged to lay in there. When my Runners/ Buffs first began to lay they would lay where ever the urge hit them but now they are 8 months old and have laid inside their house for at least 3 months but I did leave a few eggs to start with so they would keep it up. They are in a habit that hopefully you can break. I would not use light with them. They really need times through out winter to rest their bodies from laying forcing is not in their best interest health wise. Just my Opinion.

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