Runner Duck Egg Question

[Heidi]

My runner ducks will be 20 weeks old the 2nd week in September. My question is will they lay? Everything I've read says they need 14 hours of light, but by then I don't think we will have 14 hours as fall will be on its way in. I don't plan on putting a light in their house so....... No eggs til spring?

 

[thedoors5to1]

mine lay thru winter, always have. you should see some eggs thru the fall

 

[Sweetfolly]

I dunno, Heidi - I'm in Wisconsin, so the climate is very similar to yours, and I never expect this year's ducklings to start laying until the following spring. I don't provide them with any artificial lighting, so they start in March or April and stop laying sometime in October or November.

EDITED TO ADD: However, I think that's a good thing because I don't want them laying year-round. They deserve a break!

 

[katharinad]

My duck house has a huge window letting lots of light in. Making a window wall may do the trick for them. My duck house also has a baby night light, which does not produce enough light for them, but it keeps them comfortable in their house seeing where they are moving around. They do make a lot of noise, if the light is not on aka burned out.

 

[Heidi]

Thank you for your feedback. So it sounds like I might have a small chance at a few eggs before winter w/ out artificial light. I'll cross my fingers.

 

[10ducks]

I'm in SE Michigan. A couple of years ago I had Khaki Campbells that matured in the fall (beginning of September), and they laid without artificial light through November, then stopped until March. I've never tried to give them artificial light in the winter. I keep them in an unheated duck house (dry and draft-free, though), so I figure they deserve to use all their energy keeping warm. Good luck with yours--it is so fun finding those first eggs!

 

[Heidi]

Yeah!! I did get an egg this fall. My first blue runner duck egg - laid yesterday. Hopefully I will have many more to come before the snow flies. It's the light green one on the left. I've pleasantly surprised at the color as I figured it would be white.