Make it stop! My duck won't take a break from laying eggs

[Isaac 0]

What methods would you suggest? Should I take them off layer feed?

I mentioned some suggestions in post 5#. No, the birds should have a feed formulated to fulfill the amount of calcium they're using each day. Sometimes that is not enough, and a calcium supplement should be administered as well.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

In “Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks”, Dave Holderead talks about force-molting his ducks to give them a break from laying. It sounds pretty rough but basically you withhold food and water, for a couple DAYS, which forces them to stop laying and molt. He says the best time to force-molt ducks is when egg production is slowing and it isn’t too cold. It takes several weeks before laying resumes. The this is basically his schedule:
1st day: Discontinue any artificial light and remove all water and feed.
2nd and 3rd day’s: Provide drinking water but no feed.
4th day: Start feeding again but feed only whole oats free choice.
18th day: In addition to the oats supply high protein waterfowl feed in a separate bowl.
42nd day: Gradually replace oats and high protein feed with layer feed.

I have accidentally caused my ducks to do something like this when I switched their feed because the feed store stopped carrying what I was using. I am curious what you think of this Isaac O? Good or bad idea?

 

[Isaac 0]

In “Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks”, Dave Holderead talks about force-molting his ducks to give them a break from laying. It sounds pretty rough but basically you withhold food and water, for a couple DAYS, which forces them to stop laying and molt. He says the best time to force-molt ducks is when egg production is slowing and it isn’t too cold. It takes several weeks before laying resumes. The this is basically his schedule:
1st day: Discontinue any artificial light and remove all water and feed.
2nd and 3rd day’s: Provide drinking water but no feed.
4th day: Start feeding again but feed only whole oats free choice.
18th day: In addition to the oats supply high protein waterfowl feed in a separate bowl.
42nd day: Gradually replace oats and high protein feed with layer feed.

I have accidentally caused my ducks to do something like this when I switched their feed because the feed store stopped carrying what I was using. I am curious what you think of this Isaac O? Good or bad idea?

That does sound pretty rough; I very rarely under any circumstances take away feed, or water from the birds, especially the latter. If on day one, you were to take all water sources away, and a duck was still forming an egg, that could very well prove fatal.

In the wild, ducks eat numerous amounts of things, ranging from roots, insects, tubers, fish, seeds, fruit, etc. We have done a good job formulating specific pellet foods to satisfy their nutritional needs, but oats do not. Oats lack several vitamins and minerals, so feeding it for as long as he suggested could very well lead to nutritional problems.

If you have a pretty large enclosed coop, you could "attempt" to leave the birds in the coop an hour or two longer than usually do, and that itself would greatly reduce egg production. Edited to reemphasize what Kale said here:


"Your birds are so young I wouldn't worry about it unless they are having reproductive problems. Most of my birds were more serious about laying in the winter when they were younger, and slowed down as they got older. Personally, I would let them have a natural daylight schedule - so if you are giving them artificial light at night you might consider stopping that."

 

[Ratchnick]

The easiest way to stop laying is reduce their light. Also its not abnormal for high egg producing ducks to lay through the first winter. How much daylight are you getting, and any light poloution, like a porch light or street lamp? If You can squint and read a newspaper its not dark enough.

 

[KaleIAm]

I have completely stopped egg production in my pekin more than once by very strict environment changes only. The first time she was 1.5-2 years old and laying daily. The second time she was 5.5. She is almost 7 now and hasn't been reproductively active for over a year because of our daily efforts - but we also don't have a life.

We only do this because Thimbleberry would have died both times without it. We are also under the guidance of an avian veterinarian. Thimble gets regular veterinary visits where her weight, body condition, and organ function is tested via blood. I wouldn't be doing this without the advice of my vet.

If you want more information to discuss with your vet let me know, I am happy to share what has worked for Thimbleberry.

 

[KaleIAm]

What is the definition of excessive egg-laying? My pekins lay an egg almost every day. I'm guessing at least 5-7 a week since they started laying Fall of 2019. I didn't know this was a concern!

Your birds are so young I wouldn't worry about it unless they are having reproductive problems. Most of my birds were more serious about laying in the winter when they were younger, and slowed down as they got older. Personally, I would let them have a natural daylight schedule - so if you are giving them artificial light at night you might consider stopping that.

 

[Isaac 0]

I have completely stopped egg production in my pekin more than once by very strict environment changes only. The first time she was 1.5-2 years old and laying daily. The second time she was 5.5. She is almost 7 now and hasn't been reproductively active for over a year because of our daily efforts - but we also don't have a life.

We only do this because Thimbleberry would have died both times without it. We are also under the guidance of an avian veterinarian. Thimble gets regular veterinary visits where her weight, body condition, and organ function is tested via blood. I wouldn't be doing this without the advice of my vet.

If you want more information to discuss with your vet let me know, I am happy to share what has worked for Thimbleberry.

Your birds are so young I wouldn't worry about it unless they are having reproductive problems. Most of my birds were more serious about laying in the winter when they were younger, and slowed down as they got older. Personally, I would let them have a natural daylight schedule - so if you are giving them artificial light at night you might consider stopping that.

Good posts!

 

[CoriM]

@KaleIAm @Isaac 0 Thanks for your input Kale. The only reason I have lights around their run is that otherwise they will head into their house/coop as soon as it gets dark - like 5:00. I don't keep water or food in there, so then it's such a long stretch that they are missing out on those things. I don't let them out until daylight, which right now is 7:30. That would be 14.5 hours, which seems like such a long time to hunker down without food and water. What do you think?

 

[Gkundern]

@KaleIAm @Isaac 0 Thanks for your input Kale. The only reason I have lights around their run is that otherwise they will head into their house/coop as soon as it gets dark - like 5:00. I don't keep water or food in there, so then it's such a long stretch that they are missing out on those things. I don't let them out until daylight, which right now is 7:30. That would be 14.5 hours, which seems like such a long time to hunker down without food and water. What do you think?

Mine go from 5pm to 7am, and often when I open the door at 7 they don't bother to come out right away. Can't be too thirsty.

 

[KaleIAm]

@KaleIAm @Isaac 0 Thanks for your input Kale. The only reason I have lights around their run is that otherwise they will head into their house/coop as soon as it gets dark - like 5:00. I don't keep water or food in there, so then it's such a long stretch that they are missing out on those things. I don't let them out until daylight, which right now is 7:30. That would be 14.5 hours, which seems like such a long time to hunker down without food and water. What do you think?

My own ducks go to bed from 530pm to 730am year around - in a blacked out coop. (For veterinarian prescribed reproductive reasons, I'm not saying you should do this.) They have no food or water inside. I have verified with my vet that it is ok for them to be without for so long, especially water, and she has said that it is fine as long as they have access to water all day. When they do come out they give their aviary yard a casual search for worms that might have come up in the night before coming to get a drink. Then they just take a couple sips and start to preen. They barely eat for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are their preferred meals.

If I did not need to have my ducks on such a strict year around schedule I would absolutely follow a natural daylight schedule. I feel that it is important to give their bodies a break from the hard work of making eggs, since we are talking about pets.