Normal egg laying for ducks

[Spiase20]

Hey!

So I'm just writing this because I'm curious what is normal when it comes to the frequency that ducks lay eggs. Along with normal pauses between eggs.

Whenever I see an egg from one of my girls, I start worrying. Always fearing the worst, they are sick or egg bound, etc. But that is just me being over motherly to them.

So I have a Indian runner who will turn a year old this August. She is pretty consistent with laying eggs. I get an egg almost everyday from my girls. The past 4 weeks she's been laying eggs but with these pauses in-between. At first she started molting, so I expected that. She only played 2 eggs in 2 weeks then.

Then she started laying normally (everyday), and then will have a 2 or 3 day pause with no eggs. This is the 4th week and it's her second day not laying eggs again, will check tom.

She doesn't seem egg bound because she's eating, drinking, walking and not trying to push.

Is this normal for this time of year? The irregular laying? When should I start worrying.

 

[Gallinarium]

I don't know as much about ducks, but with chickens they lay in a cycle. You get an egg a little over every twenty-four hours, then when it gets too late to lay, they take a break. How long that break between clutches is depends on their laying ability.
As you probably know, it's natural for hens of any species to slow in production as they age. I get the biggest drop after each molt.
If your hen experiences a large, sudden drop in laying, without a good explanation like molting, new birds, broodiness, or odd weather, it could be that something is wrong.

 

[Spiase20]

During molting, how long does the irregular egg laying last?

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

I've got a contrary bunch of KC madams and they'll go on egg strike for all sorts of reasons - most recently, one of the geese has decided they want to share the duck house.

Hello egg strike !

I would say mine can be bought out of most eggs strikes with a few days on the trot of being treated with mealworms. Not if its moult related though.

 

[Spiase20]

It has been 5 days and she still hasn't laid an egg. But she is eating, drinking and moving fine. She isn't sick. I touched her belly and didn't feel an egg there.

Is a period of no egg normal?

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Mine have gone on egg strike for up to two weeks before !

 

[Spiase20]

If that's the case....Oh my little striker girl. The worry you cause, lol.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Mine really are pro's at the whole egg strike thing - quite some feat when you consider they are kc's.....