my ducks haven't laid any eggs yet....why??

[racefanz]

I bought ducks last spring (May 2011) and they still haven't laid any eggs. Why?? I have 1 male and 2 females.

 

[Tahai]

Hi!

What breed are they?
What are you feeding them?
Is it possible they are burying or hiding their eggs?
How much light are they getting?
Are they, or have they molted?
Other than no eggs, do they seem to be in good health?


(I think that's it for the standard questions the Duck-pros here generally ask )

 

[racefanz]

They are snowy calls. We live in Maine and the day light is increasing finally. I don't think they have molted, or at least not a heavy molt. They are getting standard chicken layer food. The person that I bought them from said that he gives his entire flock chicken layer food. I'm not sure if they are burying them, I assume they aren't, I haven't seen any signs. One of the girls has had a brownish eye for a while and she has a bad leg, but the male seems to be "on" her more. The other girl is fine from what I can tell. She likes to hang out with the male ALL the time and if he is on top of the other girl she "gives him hell" quacking alot! It's wicked funny! If he gets out of the pen area she "gives him hell" as well. Again, wicked funny!! They quack all the time, very animated.

 

[toadbriar]

you live in Maine, careful to not compare your birds' schedules to people who live down south. mine haven't started yet either and I'm in MA.

BUT I did get a goose egg yesterday

 

[racefanz]

I expected them to start laying in the fall, but I haven't gotten ANY eggs from them yet and they are approaching a year old!

 

[Senna95]

That's not unusual. Most of my ducks don't start laying till their first spring, even though they could technically start laying at 18 weeks or so (4 months). Usually ducks that start laying their first fall were hatched very early in the spring, or they're specialty "egg breeds", or they've been given artificial lighting. It is actually better for the ducks to wait a while before starting to lay eggs. It gives their bodies a little more time to mature.

 

[faye an jay]

Hiya, i have to muscovy duck wat sumbody bought my daughter for her birthday an dey r living inside my house as part of our family ( nt easy at the moment we r awating ducky diapers) i think der about 4mnths old an jst wundered if anybody had any tips about wat to house them in an feed them??? I have no clue at the minute they are snuggled up togetjer on blankets with a bowl of water an a bowl of veg shaving they seem to be happy an settling well bt i wud luv them to mate an have ducklings PLEASE CAN SUMBODY HELP ME? XX

 

[Gatorpit]

Faye, you'd get many more responses by starting your own thread instead of hijacking someone elses.

 

[kkbos11]

my duck what i have now well i had it for 3 months and it still will not lay any eggs why maybe is it just that its a boy or what cause trying to get it to really bad but it still wont i have no idea why but if there is not a problem with him we are gonna keep trying to get him to lay eggs.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

if its a drake you wont ever get eggs.