Talking about the birds and the bees

[Jlw0903]

Hello. My ducks are coming up on 16 weeks. Their birthday is May 6th.

My babies have grown up so fast that I didn't even realize I was needing to have The Talk with them yet and low and behold SweetPea and my male Tokin go for a quicky this morning.

I have 2 rouen females (sweet pea being one of them)
2 female swedish
And a male and female cayuga

I just wanted to hear when everyone else noticed their ducks doing the dirty and when they started getting eggs since no two websites online say the same thing in terms of when they will start laying.

Also open to parenting tips on how to talk to my feathered babies about being safe.

 

[Jlw0903]

UPDATE: at 5 months old I have eggs. I think they are from My Cayuga but maybe could be one of my swedish

 

[City farm]

Hello. My ducks are coming up on 16 weeks. Their birthday is May 6th.

My babies have grown up so fast that I didn't even realize I was needing to have The Talk with them yet and low and behold SweetPea and my male Tokin go for a quicky this morning.

I have 2 roen females (sweet pea being one of them)
2 female swedish
And a male and female cayuga

I just wanted to hear when everyone else noticed their ducks doing the dirty and when they started getting eggs since no two websites online say the same thing in terms of when they will start laying.

Also open to parenting tips on how to talk to me feathered babies about being safe.

Our drake Rick started late about 9 months. We had to add more girls around a year. He was tearing up their neck’s, all the feathers gone & pretty much raw. It must of hurt the few girls he chose. We made a separate area where he had to be kept (next to all the girls) until they healed up.. We would let him out and all he would do is bother them, they would run so fast away from him, it was sad. We have 8 girl’s for him

. He is now gone & our flock is so much more peaceful, the girls come up to me and thank me..

 

[DiYMama540]

Ducks definitely mount early or at least try..They are sexual Little creatures. Has nothing to do with fertility or egg laying. Just hormones.

Absolutely agree! Seems it's the only thing on their mind...especially in the morning

 

[DiYMama540]

Well you know they say abstinence is always the best prevention, but good luck with that...

Can't remember at what age my Romeo & Juliet started having relations, it was definitely long before any eggs though. My runner girl is around 5 months now and still no eggs...I want to say both ducks were around 3 months when I first noticed the mating behaviors.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks definitely mount early or at least try..They are sexual Little creatures. Has nothing to do with fertility or egg laying. Just hormones.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a female Runner just turned 4 months today she has been after my Muscovy drake for at least a month. Thankfully he only sees her as a pest. Her Runner drake is only 9.5 weeks old. He has some maturing to do.

 

[DuckyDonna]

My runners started doing the dirty at about 2 1/2 months, maybe sooner and I just didn't notice but they are really in full swing now. Born May 29th.

 

[thumper650]

My Marco goes after Ruby on a daily basis. I only had to speak to them when they did it in a puddle in the driveway, right near the street! I was mortified, but it makes for a good story!
Keep it in the pool please!

 

[happy duck]

Most ducks start egg laying around 6 months....