My ducks haven't laid a single egg!

[ThePolishPrincess]

We've had a trio of Calls ever since this summer. They were about 5 weeks old when we got them, so I'm under the impression that they should have begun laying eggs a few weeks ago, when the weather began to warm up. We have one drake, and two girls. And the drake has definately been giving them alot of attention-but not too much. He seems to have a bigger thing for my big 'Scovy girls. The female Calls are let outside to free-range every morning with my Muscovies. The muscovies will lay their eggs in the coop with my chickens unless they are let out before then and have the opportunity to lay eggs in the goat-house.

The Calls have shown interest in nesting; they have their favorite spot: where we keep our hay. They'll burrow into the hay and sit there until they get bored and walk away. But I've never found any eggs. They don't show any interest in nesting anywhere else: only there. I've checked every day in the same area and have yet to find a single egg. I don't think they're laying them anywhere else. They tend to just hang out on the grass the whole day, aside from the daily/every-other-day nesting.

What's up with that?

 

[wilson71895]

Have you every DUG threw the straw. They tend to cover there eggs when there done laying. So that way nothing can see them.

Cole.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Yes, I have. They tend to make very nice nests, but when I dig through them, I see nothing.

 

[animalloverabh]

how old are they now? i hope they arnet eggbound

hopefully someone with more nolage will come ( heres a bump )

good luck

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Oh, I doubt they are. They are both very active, constantly flying about, and, as ever, very vocal. At this point, I'd hazard to guess roughly 10 months.

 

[animalloverabh]

10months? mine did not start laying until they were over a year..mabey yours are just late like mine were?

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Are you feeding them laying feed? My 5 month olds just started laying a few days ago. And if you're free ranging them, they'll lay anywhere. I've found eggs all over the place from mine and Kim from Camelot Farms found her Call duck eggs on her barn floor instead of in their nest.

If you're not feeding laying feed, you should start now.

Laurie

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

They are on laying feed. It's just so odd, this morning one of the girls made a new nest in the hay bales. No egg in it, just a nest. I'll have to do some detective work. I guess I'll be following them a few mornings, but for now, I'll go out when I feed them this evening and look around in the woods.

And if they are just late-layers, then I await the day I can get my hands on one of these infamous Call duck eggs.

 

[Birdgirl]

I had the same problem... Mine havent laid at all until 3 days ago I now have 3 eggs... sometimes if they are free ranging they will hide them,I had a pair last year that laid under my neighbors pine trees. ( he didnt like that too well so he threw them over in my yard, so she ended up laying in the same nest as her mom and then the mom took over like a million eggs) But Id say either they arent old enough or just wait a few days maybe yours are being like mine?

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

It's not much of an update but still no eggs.

For either of them. This morning one of the girls was in the hay pile and as soon as I came over, she had her mouth open and looked like she was beconing me like, "Hey, you, try me! I dare ya!" But I know she's not broody, just protecting her nest. Filled with nothing.

There are only 4 females as far as duckies go. We really can't take on any more so this is it, but it dawned on me that this is Mr. Drakes's season. He's been loving up on the ladies alot lately. Is it possible he's been riding them too hard? (No pun intended) As in, stressing them out? They seem perfectly happy to me. But now I'm trying to dig deeper into the situation. Do some ducks just never lay eggs?