Qurstion about ducks laying

[aprhardy]

I have a pair of crested ducks & a pair of buff orpington ducks. They're 5 months old, each pair is a male & a female. I had to pen them up separate from my chickens bc they were harassing my hens and younger chicks. Right now we have a love hate relationship. Anyways I've searched all over and can't find anything about their laying habits. Like how old before they start laying? How often do they lay? Do they go broody? Is it like chickens and they go broody when they want or is it certain times of year? Do they need anything special besides layer crumble to lay eggs? Basically I am duck dumb, and need any info about these ducks and their eggs. Thanks in advance!

 

[cukooformarans]

I can't answer your questions because my ducks are muscovies and they are very different from other ducks. But, I can move your question back up. Good luck with an answer!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
ditto

 

[Duckey1650]

I don't know much about laying cycles, but I started with Mallard/Rouen mix ducks. I had two males and one female. I got them last fall and she started laying this spring. I didn't collect any eggs at first and she did get very broody. She sat on her nest until the eggs started to stink so I threw them out. I let her lay another clutch and she actually hatched two on her own. I have 5 females that are laying right now and I get about 3-4 eggs a day. I have 4 mallard/rouen mix, and one white Pekin currently laying. I have a crested female that hatched just this June and she is not laying, so I am really not sure what age they start laying.

 

[froggie71]

Generally domestic ducks start laying about 6 months of age. If a duck hatched in March/April they should start laying about September/October. some sooner, some later. They don't lay when molting, or when broody and some don't when it is too hot or cold. Not all ducks go broody. Runner are not know to go broody, but so far all the ones we have do. Each breed is different in how many eggs they lay a year, but none lay more than 1/day. Usually when we have a broody it is in the summer. Never right after they start laying. We only feed our laying ducks egg layer feed. Drakes can eat the same. You should always feed for your egg layers. Hope I answered some of your questions.

 

[Ardizzone7]

My buff just started laying about 4 weeks ago. I will tell you all I know up to this point. She started to lay where we had her closed in at night until one day she saw me take her egg. I didn't know it was her laying at the time, but she watched me very closely. Normally she will run out and start free ranging when I let her out in the morning, but this time she just stood and looked at me. The next day no egg. Instead she shot out into the yard and went all the way to the far end of the front yard where we do not mow the grass. She was completely by herself. I knew this was weird, so I followed her. When I got in the tall grass I didn't see her at first. Then I saw some weeds rustling. I went over to her and she was sitting. I softly asked what she was doing and she stood up and showed me 2 eggs she was sitting on. I didn't want to disturb her so I quietly walked away. She stayed for about an hour then left them and didn't go back. I went out later in the day and collected them. The next day she did the same thing but went to a different area. She sat again for about an hour then left and didn't go back. This time i found her egg again and put a small white ball and a ping pong ball in place of her egg. (I did this when she was in the back yard and couldn't see me) This seems to be her daily ritual. This week though she is doing the same thing without laying for the past 4 days. Normally she lays 6-7 days a week. One egg a day. Today I removed the 2 balls in hopes she may think she needs to lay eggs again instead of just sitting on what is there. We will see what happens tomorrow.......