Possible Signs of Laying

[silkie1472]

I have 7 female ducks. 5 are Rouens, 1 is a Rouen/pekin mix, and one is a mallard. In chickens, you can feel the distance between the pelvic bones as an indicator of laying, but is it the same for ducks? For all of my Rouens, I can fit around 3 fingers between the bones and at least five of them are laying. However, the mallard's pelvic bones are very close together and I can only fit one finger between them. Is she just different or not ready to lay yet. She is around 3 days older than the rouens, but still isn't laying. Does anybody have any idea when she could start laying?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 7 female ducks. 5 are Rouens, 1 is a Rouen/pekin mix, and one is a mallard. In chickens, you can feel the distance between the pelvic bones as an indicator of laying, but is it the same for ducks? For all of my Rouens, I can fit around 3 fingers between the bones and at least five of them are laying. However, the mallard's pelvic bones are very close together and I can only fit one finger between them. Is she just different or not ready to lay yet. She is around 3 days older than the rouens, but still isn't laying. Does anybody have any idea when she could start laying?

@silkie1472 since you Mallard is a seasonal layer she most likely will start laying in early spring. They are similar to my Muscovy's in they have a set time to lay spring through early fall. Shouldn't be long before you see eggs.

 

[Spyderk117]

Yeah most likely she will lay in spring. My two Mallard hens started laying in December and they are still laying!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah most likely she will lay in spring. My two Mallard hens started laying in December and they are still laying!

Wow and your in Wisconsin boy did those girls get the calendar mixed up. lol

 

[Spyderk117]

Wow and your in Wisconsin  boy did those girls get the calendar mixed up.  lol

Yeah they did! Lol

 

[silkie1472]

Yea, that's what I figured. I actually have four mallards, but only one is a hen. She has been paired up with one of the drakes since December, so hopefully she will lay soon.

 

[silkie1472]

I went to my coop tonight and saw this. It is my mallard hen inside the nest box. She is not yet laying, but is this an indicator that it won't be long? What color eggs might she lay?

 

[Spyderk117]

I went to my coop tonight and saw this. It is my mallard hen inside the nest box. She is not yet laying, but is this an indicator that it won't be long? What color eggs might she lay?

It might be! Does she normally go in the nest boxes? Mallards lay greenish eggs.

 

[GoldenFlight]

Our Mallard cross hens took a little longer to start laying than the other ducks too. They all lay a dark green egg.
The green egg is the Mallard egg in both pictures.

 

[Lilki]

My mallard started laying for the first time a couple months ago, though I live in Ca. Thankfully she finally found the nesting house and lym in their. When she first started she just plopped them out wherever. The muck by the water seemed to be a favorite.. And right by the food. Guess she figured she was killing two birds with one stone

Edit: Geez I'm having a writing problem. Should read "lay them in there."