Please help! Chickens & Ducks not laying

[CluckCluckQuack]

Cluck cluck y'all!

Please help! We recently moved into a farm where the 7 ducks and 3 chickens had basically been abandoned in a large enclosure with a stream through it and a large chicken/duck house. They have about an acre of predator proof fencing that they appeared to fending for themselves by foraging in. All the poultry is less than a year old, and there were many old eggs in the nesting boxes and straw around the bottom of the chicken castle. We've been feeding them high quality, organic laying feed and nurturing them for about 10 days now, but still not an egg to be found. I know they were under high stress and weren't getting the nutrients that they needed to flourish. I'm curious what we can do to help them start producing and become healthy layers again? Does anyone know how long it can take poultry to bounce back after abuse like what they've experienced? They're all friendly and are fattening up nicely, the ducks are a total kick! Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[sourland]

At least two factors are working against them. First is the neglect that may takes months to be resolved. Next is the shortening day length. You don't mention the breed of ducks, but it is possible that they may not renew laying until next spring. The chickens if indeed young may resume laying again sometime this fall. Good luck with them and your new home.

 

[CluckCluckQuack]

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I figured it may take some length of time in order for them to feel comfortable laying again. The ducks are a wide assortment of breeds, they all look different! However the new ducks we just acquired from a neighbor are laying an egg a day, so we were curious if that was normal for this time of year or not. How old are ducks on average before they stop laying?