New ducks

[Ponc]

Hello everyone,

We got new ducks about a month ago. 1 drake and 4 ducks to go with our 7 hen and one rooster. One duck was laying the others girls aren't old enough just yet was told they might not lay until spring 21. Anyway the one duck that was laying stopped and we only managed to save one of the 3 eggs that she layed since she arrived. They have a coop to themselves and are free range during daylight hours and have plenty of space to roam. Just wondering how to save the eggs when they start laying again and if we have to wait until next spring for more eggs. I'm based in Ireland so still lots of sunshine and not to cool yet.

See picture below outside now sleeping before there snack.

Looking forward to all your wisdom.

 

[3bird]

What happened to the other eggs? Our silver Appleyards lay year-round (although they are slow right now with their molt). They lay in nests they build in the duckhouse, and we collect in the morning.

 

[Ponc]

What happened to the other eggs? Our silver Appleyards lay year-round (although they are slow right now with their molt). They lay in nests they build in the duckhouse, and we collect in the morning.

They walked on them and broke them. They go into a circle before they come out. They are in a hen house that is for 12 hen so maybe it's not big enough? Or maybe we don't give them enough hay for bedding..it gets flat quickly and is very dirty after just one night. Any suggestions?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

They walked on them and broke them. They go into a circle before they come out. They are in a hen house that is for 12 hen so maybe it's not big enough? Or maybe we don't give them enough hay for bedding..it gets flat quickly and is very dirty after just one night. Any suggestions?

can you post coop setup pictures? i recommend using a thick layer of just pine shavings in the summer, then in the winter do the same but add hay on top for extra warmth.

 

[3bird]

We keep our six silver Appleyards (five hens and one drake) in a 4x8 duckhouse (a little over five square feet per bird), and we use the deep litter method. They have 24/7 access to their run, which is where their food and water is (so no food or water in the duckhouse!). We spot clean 2x/day, but it is never very dirty. They get some fresh straw many evenings, especially when it's cold. The girls go into the duckhouse to lay, and they make nests in the four corners. They often share nests.

Our your eggs soft? It may be that they are just getting started, and the eggs are not well formed. Do you supplement oyster shells? We

 

[Ponc]

We keep our six silver Appleyards (five hens and one drake) in a 4x8 duckhouse (a little over five square feet per bird), and we use the deep litter method. They have 24/7 access to their run, which is where their food and water is (so no food or water in the duckhouse!). We spot clean 2x/day, but it is never very dirty. They get some fresh straw many evenings, especially when it's cold. The girls go into the duckhouse to lay, and they make nests in the four corners. They often share nests.

Our your eggs soft? It may be that they are just getting started, and the eggs are not well formed. Do you supplement oyster shells? We

We haven't given supplements just layer feed they get twice a day. They are eating well washing well but don't go far and don't look like they feed out as much as the hens do. The egg shell wasn't soft at all. Good and firm. They just broke it by hitting it and it got cracked open on one side. The coop is 120cm x 125cm (including nest box) x 100cm (L x W x H) there seems to be plenty of room. I'll try new bedding and see if that works.

 

[3bird]

We haven't given supplements just layer feed they get twice a day. They are eating well washing well but don't go far and don't look like they feed out as much as the hens do. The egg shell wasn't soft at all. Good and firm. They just broke it by hitting it and it got cracked open on one side. The coop is 120cm x 125cm (including nest box) x 100cm (L x W x H) there seems to be plenty of room. I'll try new bedding and see if that works.

If you have a drake, you don't want him eating layer feed. We feed our flock a maintenance diet (Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance) and then supplement with a separate bowl of oyster shells for the girls (our drake doesn't eat them). We feed our guys free choice, but they also free range.

Your duckhouse sounds like it could be too small if I'm reading correctly (and doing the math right!). 125cm is a little over four feet, so your square footage is about 16 sq ft for seven ducks or about 2.25 sq feet per duck. That's about half of what we would recommend per duck.

Our duck's shells are bulletproof! lol. We do occasionally get a broken one, but it's usually one that was not laid in the duckhouse or was softer. I do know that some duck owners have reported problems with ducks breaking eggs (often indicative of a lack of calcium in the diet).

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I have to feel around for my ducks eggs, im not sure what goes on in there, but it seems that they throw a rave every night and kick shavings everywhere. So far the only one broken was this morning and i dropped it on the concrete floor of our porch, dont think calcium is to blame. I like pine shavings, wish I could use cedar but it seems it is unsafe. Tried hay and it was a bloody mess, its like cat littler i guess, the shavings absorb and coat the poop, just like clumping cat litter, the hay did not absorb nor coat, it was just a wet poopy mess that got moldy very quickly and attracted flies.

 

[Ponc]

I have to feel around for my ducks eggs, im not sure what goes on in there, but it seems that they throw a rave every night and kick shavings everywhere. So far the only one broken was this morning and i dropped it on the concrete floor of our porch, dont think calcium is to blame. I like pine shavings, wish I could use cedar but it seems it is unsafe. Tried hay and it was a bloody mess, its like cat littler i guess, the shavings absorb and coat the poop, just like clumping cat litter, the hay did not absorb nor coat, it was just a wet poopy mess that got moldy very quickly and attracted flies.

Yes we must try shaving then hay is great for the hens not so good for ducks.

 

[Ponc]

If you have a drake, you don't want him eating layer feed. We feed our flock a maintenance diet (Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance) and then supplement with a separate bowl of oyster shells for the girls (our drake doesn't eat them). We feed our guys free choice, but they also free range.

Your duckhouse sounds like it could be too small if I'm reading correctly (and doing the math right!). 125cm is a little over four feet, so your square footage is about 16 sq ft for seven ducks or about 2.25 sq feet per duck. That's about half of what we would recommend per duck.

Our duck's shells are bulletproof! lol. We do occasionally get a broken one, but it's usually one that was not laid in the duckhouse or was softer. I do know that some duck owners have reported problems with ducks breaking eggs (often indicative of a lack of calcium in the diet).

Only have 5 ducks including drake. 7 is the number of hens. They seem to have lots of room. They walk around quite happy in there. I will switch to shaving and see if that works. The drake won't leave the ducks so can't feed them separately. They don't really eat very much but love the water. In when dark only and out at sunrise. And have lots of space during the day.