Magpies Stopped Laying; The boys fault or mine?

[btrask]

Been busy on this end since I last posted. We ended up finding a nice spot in the country to move to. Shortly after moving our three Magpie ladies started laying. They were super consistent, sometimes getting a double yolker and someone was laying two in a day! We had so many eggs we were gifting them to our neighbors. In the span of about 10 days they incurred lots of changes and stopped laying all together.

-We moved. Absolutely kept the same coop, run, food, and water setup. They actually started laying after moving.
-The rain came. We had a dry summer and the rains started coming. They didn't seem to mind but stopped laying a day or two after the rain.
-Oyster shell type changed. They started oyster shell with a small Purina bag since the 50lb was out. They blew through it, so I got the 50lb and it is a very different product. They laid a couple days with the new oyster shell though.
-New drake added to the flock. He was in need of a new home (Poor guy was colored like a buff due to all the poop he was living in). We introduced him slowly and after a couple days everyone is friends. He is not aggressive to them at all.
-Water logged feed. I had a one day period where the feed got really wet just before they stopped laying and I had to change it out. Luckily we checked it every 1-2 days and they forage during the day.
-Reduced free ranging. With the new drake, they started to take adventures. During the day they were allowed to free range and kept close. Once the new drake was friends, they started going up our drive which is a no-no. We had to put up some poultry wire so they cant free-range as much. Still a rather large area and all the access to their pool as usual.

We are going on about 2 weeks of absolutely no eggs. In fact no one has been making this nice duck nest in the coop as usual either, everyone is happy to sleep outside. Everyone seems to be happy and normal quacking at me as normal.

 

[Trisseh]

My ducks are all molting and no one is laying eggs now, with the change in season, amount of daylight, and the molting. Are yours young birds, like this past spring ducklings? I had the same thing happen last year with my Swedish - she was the only one to start laying, and she only laid for a couple of weeks before starting a molt and waiting through the winter. the other, larger breeds didn’t even bother to start laying til this spring. Lol. My money would be on the time of year and all the associated changes that come along with it.

another possibility is you have someone pilfering eggs, if they’re laying them out in the run area. A lot of critters like to steal eggs, so if they’re hiding them out and about, the possibility of them just being taken is there.

 

[btrask]

Thanks @Trisseh ! Good point, we are bummed by the change in season and daylight. I would assume they are molting as well as there are a few more feathers than normal in the area. Yes they are all spring ducklings. When did you Swedish resume laying?

I have two cameras on the yard where they are and no critters have been coming and going. Also have a dog roaming around to keep anyone away.

 

[Trisseh]

My girl started up again the 2nd of March this spring, and the heavier breeds joined her this time. I’m in NW Ontario so it stays dark forever into the spring (it feels like) lol, so not sure how that would compare to where you are. I checked back on my dates for her laying last fall and she started at the end of September and went part of the way into October before quitting and molting a bit.

 

[btrask]

Ah bummer, springtime! We loved having those eggs.

 

[KaleIAm]

Mine stop laying when they molt, and also when the days get shorter. When they were younger they were a little more dedicated to laying during the shorter days - but not much. I live in Washington State and at the moment no one is laying and we haven't gotten an egg for weeks. Since laying is hard work for their bodies I'm happy that they take a break!