my Muscovy ducks are not laying eggs

[huntermet]

Hello. My 7 month old Muscovy ducks are not laying eggs. I also have a 1 1/2 year old Muscovy duck that is not laying either. It was laying eggs last year and helped sit on the 7 month old Muscovy ducks as eggs. Any help on why they are not laying eggs would be much appreciated. thanks.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Hello. My 7 month old Muscovy ducks are not laying eggs. I also have a 1 1/2 year old Muscovy duck that is not laying either. It was laying eggs last year and helped sit on the 7 month old Muscovy ducks as eggs. Any help on why they are not laying eggs would be much appreciated. thanks.

Hi and

! I understand where you're coming from - I have both adult Muscovy ducks that were laying prior to winter, and ducks that hatched last spring and summer. It was a long dry spell, but they have begun laying again (not all of them, but I get about 3 eggs a day lately). Assuming that nothing has changed in their environment that could impact egglaying (stress, feed changes, etc.), my guess would be that you may not yet be getting enough daylight hours where you are to trigger them to resume laying.

We've had sustained, unseasonably warm weather here and I'm confident that's what triggered the laying. Hope you start getting eggs soon!

 

[huntermet]

we get about 13 hours of daylight and it has been around 10+ degrees for a couple weeks now. I let them free range in our pond and in our fields from noon sometimes earlier until it is dark but where they were previously they were cooped up and not allowed to free range. their food has stayed the same though which is crushed corn.

 

[Miss Lydia]

we get about 13 hours of daylight and it has been around 10+ degrees for a couple weeks now. I let them free range in our pond and in our fields from noon sometimes earlier until it is dark but where they were previously they were cooped up and not allowed to free range. their food has stayed the same though which is crushed corn.

@huntermet crushed corn is not a balanced diet for your birds especially layers. A good All flock feed or Layer is much better. I also have Muscovy and no eggs here yet it's usually around March before mine get started mating and laying.

 

[huntermet]

@huntermet crushed corn is not a balanced diet for your birds especially layers. A good All flock feed or Layer is much better. I also have Muscovy and no eggs here yet it's usually around March before mine get started mating and laying.

mine are already mating but that might be the crushed corn thing i will try getting a different feed but i give them crushed corn because i had like 2 barrels of it from when i had turkeys.

 

[Miss Lydia]

mine are already mating but that might be the crushed corn thing i will try getting a different feed but i give them crushed corn because i had like 2 barrels of it from when i had turkeys.

It's okay to use the corn as a treat I do but it's mainly carbs and doesn't have any calcium for the layers or protein to keep them as healthy as possible. Mine forage real good when it's spring summer and fall and get help with their diets but in winter when everything bugs and green things is not around they really need a well balanced diet. Corn is good for winter in late afternoon too it can help keep them warm on those frigid winter nights. I also put out Oyster shell for my girls for extra calcium.

 

[huntermet]

they are out right now drilling in the mud. I will go to the store and get them different feed cause we are almost out too so we need more

 

[Miss Lydia]

they are out right now drilling in the mud. I will go to the store and get them different feed cause we are almost out too so we need more

But if your temps are 10+ what could they be eating besides mud. Mine love to dig in the mud too.

 

[huntermet]

But if your temps are 10+ what could they be eating besides mud. Mine love to dig in the mud too.

they seem to find worms and insects somehow. They also go swimming lots

 

[Miss Lydia]

they seem to find worms and insects somehow. They also go swimming lots

They are some very hardy Muscovy's, mine do not like the cold temps ice or snow. I dug down into the compost pile the other day hoping for worms for mine they were all lined up waiting I found 1 worm how disappointing.