She's ready, but no eggs yet

[RavenStorm]

My Khaki Campbell has been doing the duck "squat" since mid-November, but I still haven't seen a single egg or any evidence ever that has laid one. I'm not sure exactly how old she is because she was a rescue, but after getting her a Buff companion from a baby I am guestimating that she was 2-3 weeks when I got her in August which would make her nearly 6 months. I was under the impression that Khakis started to lay around 18-22 weeks and she is most likely past that by now. I feel her abdomen each day to make sure she is not egg-bound, she has a perfect diet, gets plenty of exercise, isn't sick, etc. Can anyone put my worries at ease and tell me this is normal or tell me if this is a bad sign?

 

[Padre]

I know this, some mature sooner than others. It may just be that your ready but she isn't

 

[Ducklove334]

some ducks can take anywhere from 5 months to a year to lay, I have one hen out of my girls who is laying..wel, two, Maude is about 3 years old, but my mallards are all about 7ish months old and only 1 hen is laying

 

[nettie]

i have runner who were hatched in late juky/ early august. They just started laying eggs about two weeks ago. My get ample light and warmth. Also, i thought they might lay soon, and the guy at the feed store reccommended i thrown some oyster shell in the food. About three days after we started adding oyster shell, we got eggs. Maybe you could try putting a little in her food. that why if she does start laying, she'll have enough calcium before hand.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

can you describe your duck squat?

 

[RavenStorm]

chickensducks&agoose :

can you describe your duck squat?

She used to waddle a few steps ahead of me when I approached, but then suddenly about half the time I got close to her she would freeze, hunker down close to the ground, stretch her neck out, and make herself as flat and low to the ground as possible while making her happy chirpy sounds that she typically makes when I give her treats. When she first started doing it, I though that maybe it was a self preservation tacit to deal with predators but when I pet her while she was doing it, she would lift her butt up and chirp more so that gave me a clearer picture of what she was doing.​

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

THANK YOU!!! my duck has been doing that, and I though maybe she was sick. Someone else said that it sounded like a duck squat... but it is so different than what my chickens do that i was still dubious (sorry!)... 2 people tell me something, and I will accept it as fact... glad my duck isn't sick! I hope that your duck lays eggs soon! That seems like a long time to be 'ready' and not be giving eggs... maybe it's the weather, being 'ready', but having it still be too cold and dark out! I vote that if your duck is eating, sleeping, walking good and pooping, it's healthy. How old is ms. duck?

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
She used to waddle a few steps ahead of me when I approached, but then suddenly about half the time I got close to her she would freeze, hunker down close to the ground, stretch her neck out, and make herself as flat and low to the ground as possible while making her happy chirpy sounds that she typically makes when I give her treats. When she first started doing it, I though that maybe it was a self preservation tacit to deal with predators but when I pet her while she was doing it, she would lift her butt up and chirp more so that gave me a clearer picture of what she was doing.

This is an act of submission. You are top of thepecking order. She is squatting so that you can mount her and mate her - like a dominant rooster and hen - you are the drake.

It is not a sign she is going to give you eggs.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

shouldn't a duck be mature if it's going to do that though? Or is it like those trampy 12 year olds that i remember from middle school a million (20?) years ago?

 

[DuckLady]

I call the duck squat the "Aircraft Carrier"