What the heck is wrong with my bleeping ducks?

[pbjmaker]

I only have one duck that lays and she quit once the heat hit also. She was a late starter on top of it (June 23). Now on top of it I sold off "her" drake about 2 weeks ago. She mingles with the rest of the flock during the day but won't sleep with them (she has her own pad) and my young drake is now mating with her. I am hoping with our break in extreme temps she will start in again. I need more baby ducks!

 

[pbjmaker]

It must be the heat. It has been in the 80's the last three days instead of 100+ heat index and my Dee Dee laid me an egg this morning. My young male has been mating her so I'm gonna see what we get after I collect a few

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Egad! I have too many ducks. I have eggs coming out my ears! I am about to go commercial with them since my Runners and other ducks lay like crazy except when they go broody. I do have 2 Runners on eggs now. One for the second time this year but I have enough Runners that they still lay a lot.
My Pekin has started back laying after her molt and pretending to be broody. I love her humongous eggs! My Magpies are only Ideal hatchery stock but they are laying now, too. My young Muscovy have started laying and are obnoxious about the nest boxes but once they ruin one duck out they plop down and give me eggs.
I love duck eggs but gosh, if this is their off season I am in trouble coming cool weather! I have Saxony and Golden Cascades yet to start laying!

I must say though, that my flock does free range, they have free choice layer and starter and BOSS plus every evening run their beaks through some sweet feed. When the Japanese beetles were flying around they spent a lot of time trying to catch those and I have a pile of nasty brooder bags that I pull up after every rain so chickens and ducks can feast of the fly and bug larvae underneath.

 

[ChristineR]

Quote:
This is the second time today that I've seen someone mention feeding BOSS to their ducks. Are you giving it to them for the fat content? Just curious.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I am not familiar with either of those breeds--but I know my Muscovies and the Cayugas I used to have are highly seasonal layers. I get eggs in the spring, until it gets too hot out--and then no eggs and maybe some more in the fall before they shut down for the winter.

 

[gofasterstripe]

Mine have hardly been laying now for about 4 to 6 weeks. I htink it was the heat and today I was sitting watching them and they are now starting to look messy and unkepy, they are now FINALY starting to molt. The F&W I got from you has 1 inch wing tips poking out, so shes well on her way, Bonny the Beak I got from you looks a mess, shes all colours and half nekked. Im getting all of 1 or 2 eggs a day out of 8 runners and 2 a day out of 8 Pekins!!!

 

[Amiga]

I add a handful or two of cat kibble to a pound or so of feed, and from nine runners we're getting about six eggs a day, sometimes eight.

Laying did slow during our heatwave a couple of weeks ago, but we got at least four a day.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Give them a once over - if they've picked up any parasites, that will run them down a bit and interfere with lay (like bird mites or lice). Heat will affect them - I get less eggs in the heat of summer as its really hot here. Also, look for any possibility of predation. I had ducks laying 12 or so eggs a day one spring and then NO eggs for several days! I paid attention and realized that a Raven was flying in the open top of my pens and stealing all my eggs! We put up bird netting and boy was the Raven frustrated the next day. However, I got my eggs back. Look for any holes where a rat might be taking them or a snake might get in (though snakes will usually leave crumpled up egg shells behind at least sometimes). You can add additional protein as well. Try liver, either chopped and raw, or cooked - mine won't eat it raw, but will if I cook it and run a bit through the food processor with some rolled oats. I get liver free from a friend when he butchers his cows (I buy beef from him too, good stuff!).