Runner Ducks and Egg Laying

[kandyg_99]

Hi Ya'll,
I purchased some Runner ducks back in June and they are about 25 weeks now how long should it be when they start laying?

 

[Wifezilla]

Between 5-7 months from what I have read. I am sure the light level in their living quarters can effect that too.

 

[kandyg_99]

I've had a light in their house because of the frigid temps here in Colorado and my Golden Cascades have been laying pretty much everyday,they are a week older than my runners.

 

[Wifezilla]

Yeah...tell me about the frigid temps. I am freezing my butt off down here South of the Springs!!!

Anyway...sounds like you have the light situation under control. I would expect to see eggs in the next couple of weeks.

How do you like the Golden Cascades? I have seen them for sale a couple of times but I don't know much about them.

 

[kandyg_99]

I love my Cascades they are just beautiful.I had gotton eggs from someone and ended up just getting two to hatch.Thank god there was a male and a female.I'm looking forward to babies in the spring.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

With the runners I wonder it they might be affected by the cold. Their feathers are less fluffy so they have to spend more energy dealing with the cold. Mine stopped laying a while ago, and just today even my Khaki Campbell didn't lay an egg for the first time in a while. Maybe you will have to wait a few months.

 

[kandyg_99]

I think my Runner ducks have started laying!!For the longest time I have gotton one duck egg a day.This morning (just now) I found TWO EGGS....
Now before I get too excited I have a question,I just purchased a pair a Pekin Ducks suppose to be 8 months old,Could it be them that laid the other egg? The egg is kinda small.

 

[vfem]

Pekin's lay pretty darn large eggs! At 8 months they should have been laying awhile now, I would assume their eggs would be larger. If it is the runner, she just started and can expect smaller eggs for a little while.

They don't go broody those runners... its been breed out of them from what I've read. You'll have to incubate those eggs to get a good hatch. I just got myself some feathery incubators. My silkies have already hatched my ducks for me, and I expect them to hatch more for me in the spring!

(I'm hoping they hatch some runners for me most of all!!!)

 

[nettie]

my runners live inside and aren't laying.... they about the same age as yours... weird

 

[Wifezilla]

Well, you have age, temps and light levels all effecting egg laying. Then you add diet as a factor too. Lots of variables. Once the duck is over 8 months you can rule out age. Once Spring finally gets here you will be able to rule out light and temps. If they still aren't laying by that time, then you look at diet. Or maybe your duck is a dud. Or a DUDE!