Light in duck house...

[GeoGreyWolf]

Hello all, just trying to theorize some stuff and wanted everyone's opinion. My Blue Swedish Drake (Prince) seems to mount my female Blue Swedish (Princess) and my Mallard (Mal). However I have never witnessed him mount my Female Pekin (Cleaner). Cleaner is the only one who is laying eggs currently, I attempted to incubate and none were fertilized which makes me believe he is not interested in her at all. She is the Alpha duck, but is also lame. My question is if i but a battery powered camping lantern in their house, or even above it, could that induce egg laying in the other females? If so how many days would it take for it to be on for it to work? Wanting to try and incubate eggs, and was sad to see none of the eggs I had were fertilized, more so for my 6 year old daughter who wanted to watch them hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How old are your 2 ducks who aren't laying yet?
I am agin using light to force laying. Daylight is getting longer by the day so won't be long now before they will be laying on their own when their body is naturally ready.
Prince may not be interested in your Pekin seems we're seeing they prefer certain colors if not Pekin to Pekin.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Ah ok, i was hoping to get a cross between a blue Swedish and Pekin. I seen a picture of nicely colored ducks and was wanting to see if i could create them. Only thing I am not liking about Pekins are their temperament, mine is loud, while my female Swedish and mallard are both quieter. I am not sure of the other two's age. I got them from a lady who stated they were of laying age. She raises ducks but free ranges, so was not sure who was laying. I figured they should be older than Cleaner. Yet she is the only one laying. Below is the picture I seen on google.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very pretty. I am thinking your other 2 will begin to lay once daylight stays longer. I am still waiting for all my Females to begin to lay, my chickens have started but not the ducks.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Do they have swimming water? Some of the heavy breeds need swimming water for comfortable mating. Only thing I know to suggest. I have only females and no drakes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

MY Runner drake seems to prefer his Runner females over his 2 Buff females who hatched with him. I didn't think he was mating them at all till I saw them in the pool a while back when they could actually have a pool[frigid here] So maybe pool water would help especially your Pekin since she has an injured leg .

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Do they have swimming water? Some of the heavy breeds need swimming water for comfortable mating. Only thing I know to suggest. I have only females and no drakes.

Yes I have a kiddie pool that they all swim in.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

MY Runner drake seems to prefer his Runner females over his 2 Buff females who hatched with him. I didn't think he was mating them at all till I saw them in the pool a while back when they could actually have a pool[frigid here] So maybe pool water would help especially your Pekin since she has an injured leg .

Yes they have a pool which is where I have seen them all in, he just doesnt mount her. Just the other two

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does she give him the come hither? Maybe he is intimidated by her if she is lead duck?

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

its a possibility that he is intimidated.. he does seem to try and protect her in some ways like stay around and all.. but i have not seen any mounting action.