Muscovy laying questions ( PLEASE HELP )

[muscovymommy11]

I have two beautiful girls in with my drake 24/7 they are 11 months old and still haven't had a clutch yet. Is this abnormal?? How can you tell if they are going to lay eggs soon?? Ahhg! Please help!!

 

[Going Quackers]

Well there young, next how is your weather? I did have a clutch in Mar, that was one determined and rather silly duck because winters here are harsh, but she is a few years old not a young one.

I have some 8mth olds and one 10 mth old in my flock too, nothing yet they have been laying.. the 10mth is fairly fascinated with the 5wk old babies we have but she's still pretty young to set.

If there 11mths now i'd probably give it a little longer before i'd be raising concerns, are they laying ok? do they have an area they feel they could safely nest and raise a clutch in?

How long have you had the birds, changes can effect laying and thus brooding. Most times your holding 'scovie girls back, i have had a few try but i have ceased the action as i am not wanting anymore this year lol but again these are mature birds over 1yo, most having had clutches before.

 

[Connie White]

I also have younger ones - I live in north Alabama and mine are laying like crazy! I'm getting an egg per day per duck! Mine free range - swim in shallow water a lot - and primarily live off the land - I feed them a little layer everyday but nothing much - mine graze on a couple acres primarily - come in at night - created their own laying area (i found it as it was under a shelf, and in the dirt) they actually cover the eggs so they can be most difficult to find! I have one who disappeared - then would return every morning - she's hatching out a group - and still laying one per day! I also have a lot of chickens around and a big dog who watches of them - and the cat is a chicken whisperer - perhaps that's the 'perfect storm' LOL - but they didn't start laying until it warmed up - 70ish. They have been laying like crazy for a month now!

Good Luck!

 

[Connie White]

One thing - their laying area is VERY secluded - they used the chicken area at first - but then slipped under this shelf (i couldn't even see them because it was such a low low area) - they dug out the dirt from under it and started laying there. it's surrounded by wood, enclosed and every morning they lay very early. The one 'Dolly Duck' who took off on her own to lay - found a very secluded spot - i thought i had looked there 100 times initially when she started to disappear so - that may be key. I hope this helps - Connie

 

[Connie White]

I keep reading all over where the most difficult part of hatching out the ducklings is in the final stage where they hatch out of the egg. I posted a direct question about this because I've looked all over the internet and although there is agreement to this - there are no solutions offered! I have over 40 being hatched out over the next month - so this is important! We'll figure this one out!