New duck owner who needs some help!

[Riverside Barn]

I am new to having ducks so I need all the help I can get! I recently found out that I have a food allergy to chicken eggs so I decided to get some ducks because I love eggs. I went to a animal auction and bought 6 Muscovy ducks and 1 Muscovy drake. After I bought them I only got two eggs and then they stopped laying and have not laid any eggs since. I thought this may have something to do with just getting them and not being used to me or there surroundings but I have had them a little over a month now and still no eggs. Is there something I could be doing wrong? or do ducks stopping laying for the winter? I have so many questions and have not found any good websites that can answer them. If you have and ideas for me please share!

 

[AmandaVirus]

Muscovies are usually seasonal layers, most will be done for the season now, laying during the spring and summer. A better breed for eggs would have been Campbells or Pekins, or pretty much any other domestic breed. I have two Anconas and a Blue Swedish who I usually get 2 eggs from a day now.

Your Muscovies will probably start laying again in February. Age can also play a role in egg production. Do you know how old they are?

 

[Going Quackers]

Various reasons, large changes usually puts a halt to ducks laying, season changes do to, ducks are seasonal layers a few hybrids exist that are more prolific, as well aging of the ducks when they first begin they can be somewhat inconsistent. My flock has ceased for now and will resume next year, i have actually found my scovies to be pretty good layers, i have quite an abundance of eggs.

While i have not done it people do speak of freezing eggs for the shortage of them over winter months, perhaps something to consider for future.

 

[Amiga]

To tag onto Going Quackers, one can freeze eggs by scrambling them and then putting them into ice cube trays or small ramekins (custard cups). Some people dehydrate scrambled eggs (raw) by placing them on the dehydrator trays that are used for fruit leather. Then you can either keep them as sheets or pull them apart into chunks and put them in a blender to make powdered eggs.

Eggs keep for a while in the frij, too.

So you can enjoy fresh eggs for months, and still have some duck eggs for cooking during the off season.

Muscovies are beautiful ducks.

 

[Riverside Barn]

I am not sure how old they are because I got them at an auction but I know 4 of them are old enough to lay because on the crates it said Great Mother. I hope they start back up in February. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[Amiga]

Muscovies do have a reputation for being great mothers. If you let them hatch ducklings, be sure to keep an eye on them, because sometimes ducks will become aggressive with ducklings for some unknown reason. But if you have a good broody, that can be very helpful.