Supplemental Lighting for Ducks?

[Claires Poultry]

Hi guys,
My Khaki Campbells are about 3 months old now.
Would it mess up their development if I gave them supplemental lighting?

I would like to start giving them supplemental lighting now before we get to far into winter. I don't want to have to make a major change in total hours of daylight in the middle of winter when they are used to less hours of daylight.

I plan on starting supplemental lighting sometime within the next few days and then gradually adding more hours of light, overtime, so it's not too big of a shock to them.

Would that be ok or would it mess up their development? Would it cause them to start laying earlier than they should?

Thanks,
Elly

 

[FluffTheDuck]

 

[PirateGirl]

Supplemental lighting will affect their hormone levels and thus egg production. So yes, it will interfere with their development, but I suspect you want to add supplemental lighting to do this.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Personally, i wouldn't do that to my Duckies. Laying eggs is challenging for a duck's body and the main reason why duck's life expectancy is lower than drake's. Should my ducks stop laying during winter, i give them their break so they can regenerate.
Now your duck's haven't started to lay yet and i would not force them to. Just let nature follow its path, they will start laying when they're ready.

 

[Ratchnick]

If you want to force them to lay yes you can supplement their lighting. This can shorten the number of eggs they lay overall but will increase the eggs per year. If you want your ducks to live as happy as possible for as long as possible I would not force them to lay. if they are poultry not pets then this is common practice and your ducks will be fine.

 

[Claires Poultry]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I don't think I'll do it. I don't want to mess up their development.

 

[Texag87]

Personally, i wouldn't do that to my Duckies. Laying eggs is challenging for a duck's body and the main reason why duck's life expectancy is lower than drake's. Should my ducks stop laying during winter, i give them their break so they can regenerate.
Now your duck's haven't started to lay yet and i would not force them to. Just let nature follow its path, they will start laying when they're ready.

I agree about letting nature take its course. “Regenerating” makes me think of the Borg.

 

[Miss Lydia]

X2 in agreement.