What do you do with ducks no longer laying well?

[FireTigeris]

If you have the lattice I have it is grooved and has texture too it.

Here is a good view, they are different ages only one case of bumble foot ever- and that was not the vinyl's fault, there was a hole in the wood deck.

 

[Amiga]

I have vinyl flooring in both my duck and chicken coops. Then I add pine shaving on top. I use deep litter so they never slide on the vinyl.

Ditto.

Also, ditto Fire Tigiris about staggering the ages in the flock. I have my original 9 (lost 2 to illness), plus 2 rescue buffs. My aim is every year or three, add a couple of younger ducks. I had thought about buying ducklings (so cute), but realized I would rather adopt rescues. As it turns out, the buffs are the same age as my runners. But I have room for some more small ducks and will start very slowly adding in, if all goes according to plan.

I plan on keeping the ducks. I have put so much time, effort and love into them that I am committed to keeping them. They will still be eating bugs, making fertilizer and adorning the gardens. And, not laying, they won't be eating as much. Mine laid for at least 14 months straight, then took three months off (the runners . . .during that time the buffs were laying, and continue to do so).

So I could hold on to enough eggs to get us through most of the dry spell.

 

[ducksinarow]

I will keep my ducks until they die of natural causes. They give me eggs as long as they can and I consider it my responsibility to care for them and not get rid of them. I have seen God put animals in my path so I try my best. Ducks lay for several years and mine have not quilt laying at the same time. This is just how I do things. Your ducks are up to you. Best of luck.

 

[zooweemama]

Thanks so much everyone. I got a lot of great info!

 

[nickie]

I've never really thought of what I would do... It was a complete fluke we ended up with the first 2, I never wanted ducks only chickens. My husband does subcontract work for a guy who thought it would be cool to buy his kids some ducklings for Easter one year (really?). Well, he lived in the city (not allowed) and he had no idea how much work they would be. He asked my husband if he wanted them for our kids since we live in the country. He said sure and I said no way, I don't want ducks. He convinced me after telling me they could be a "practice flock" before we got chickens. We had those girls for two weeks before I had my husband out there digging up the yard to put a pond in on mothers day. When we started getting eggs it never even occured to me to sell them. I was completely in love with them. I think my ducks will have a home for life here. My husband even loves them. To him the chickens ate just chickens, but the ducks are something special.

On another note, we have the turkeys to eat. I have heritage breeds and am just starting out with them so this fall will be me thinning them down to breeding trios to keep is going on them. They are great to have around though. Boy they just run right up to you from day one with a happy "well hi!" Look on their face.

 

[zooweemama]

I've never really thought of what I would do... It was a complete fluke we ended up with the first 2, I never wanted ducks only chickens. My husband does subcontract work for a guy who thought it would be cool to buy his kids some ducklings for Easter one year (really?). Well, he lived in the city (not allowed) and he had no idea how much work they would be. He asked my husband if he wanted them for our kids since we live in the country. He said sure and I said no way, I don't want ducks. He convinced me after telling me they could be a "practice flock" before we got chickens. We had those girls for two weeks before I had my husband out there digging up the yard to put a pond in on mothers day. When we started getting eggs it never even occured to me to sell them. I was completely in love with them. I think my ducks will have a home for life here. My husband even loves them. To him the chickens ate just chickens, but the ducks are something special.
On another note, we have the turkeys to eat. I have heritage breeds and am just starting out with them so this fall will be me thinning them down to breeding trios to keep is going on them. They are great to have around though. Boy they just run right up to you from day one with a happy "well hi!" Look on their face.

I'd love to hear more about your turkeys. They seem so silly to me (thats what I love about the ducks- their silliness) so I find it really sweet they run up to you. Do you care for them like big chickens? Do you have to house them at night? We have large animals that roam here at night...

 

[Funniducki1]

Prefer to keep my old girls, and I consider old about 3yrs old, when they slow down laying dramatically. They become so special, each with their own uniqueness, it's hard to let them go, especially since they always seem to get eaten by a predator at a new person's house. However, it's impossible to keep all your favorites, so I have resolved to keeping just a few of the the most special. Right now, I have a white runner drake and runner/Cayuga bonded pair that have been together for 11 yrs now~and other than the drake's feet being a little more sensitive than his younger years, they are happy and healthy. The duck even laid a few giant beautiful Cayuga eggs this season.

Another option would to be to find a 4-H who wants ducks to show, and "gift" them some birds.

After having them for a year or years, I cannot stomach to eat them, there's no way, but this is my personal opinion. My favorite breed is Sandhill Preservation Center's Welsh Harlequin line...they are gorgeous, show well, lay well, and were calmer than Campbells.

 

[zooweemama]

Prefer to keep my old girls, and I consider old about 3yrs old, when they slow down laying dramatically. They become so special, each with their own uniqueness, it's hard to let them go, especially since they always seem to get eaten by a predator at a new person's house. However, it's impossible to keep all your favorites, so I have resolved to keeping just a few of the the most special. Right now, I have a white runner drake and runner/Cayuga bonded pair that have been together for 11 yrs now~and other than the drake's feet being a little more sensitive than his younger years, they are happy and healthy. The duck even laid a few giant beautiful Cayuga eggs this season.

Another option would to be to find a 4-H who wants ducks to show, and "gift" them some birds.

After having them for a year or years, I cannot stomach to eat them, there's no way, but this is my personal opinion. My favorite breed is Sandhill Preservation Center's Welsh Harlequin line...they are gorgeous, show well, lay well, and were calmer than Campbells.

Oh gosh- we entertained the idea of eating them...but after having them we just can unless it was survival mode period. We'd need more, we'd need to refrain from naming them...LOL. They are egg layers and pets for us but I can already see favorites emerging.

 

[nickie]

I am really new to turkeys, so I can't give you a big picture, but I do believe kuntrygirl has had them for a while. I do house them at night locked up snug and during the day they have a nice poultry playpen I modified for them to use. They are big for only being 2 months old and they can fly quite well. I enjoy their talking and strutting (ha, one did the turkey strut at 2 days old, funniest thing ever). They are very friendly and super curious. One bad thing, and I don't know if its just me... Their poop smells awful. I'm not one to complain about a little poo, or be over sensitive about aromas (unless you are using perfume in place of a shower) but good god they stunk. I had to kick them out of my laundry room brooder sooner than I was comfortable with because I couldn't handle it. I will tell you that they don't stink out back, but they also ha e a much larger space.