When do ducks start laying and how long?

[blondiebee181]

I have a Pekin duck who quit laying earlier this year when her sister was lost to a fox. I purchased some "fertile" eggs because she also just went in the chicken coop and wouldn't come out. She sat on these eggs and one baby hatched. Now she has a "baby" who is bigger than she is and she is still not back to laying eggs. I think the baby may be a drake but I'm not sure but he makes a very different sound than she does.
She is barely two years old. Any idea what I can do to get her laying again? When her sister was with her they laid eggs all the time, plus she loved to swim in our pond & creek. Now she hangs out with the baby & the chickens and won't go to the creek at all (fox got her sister in the yard not at the creek so I have no idea what's with this).
Just wondering. . . . . how can I encourage her to lay again?

Youtube has a couple good vids of the difference between drake rasps and hen quacks...my grandpa put it this way, females sound like the duck-calls they use for hunting, drakes sound raspy and croaky....as to the laying thing, I'm stumped as you are unfortunately...sad about her buddy though.

 

[chicks4fun]

Youtube has a couple good vids of the difference between drake rasps and hen quacks...my grandpa put it this way, females sound like the duck-calls they use for hunting, drakes sound raspy and croaky....as to the laying thing, I'm stumped as you are unfortunately...sad about her buddy though.

thanks for the info

 

[cskotek]

This will be my first winter with mandarins... and I know the are more of a warm weather bird so how can I keep them more warm in the winter... The winters can get bad here in northeast pa... And we have a pheasent in with them. I only know of putting hay in the coop. Its raised off the ground and we are probably only going to allow them in the one half of the coop so less space (it will be like 5 feet by 3 feet) then and im sure thats enough for those 3 guys.

And for my other ducks I have no idea what I want to do. Last winter I only had 5 runners and 2 mallards and we would just let them out and when they wanted in they would go to the back door... But im up to 28 now So im not sure... Will ducks know when they are getting frostbite ? I know it sounds stupid but my one runner mix had SUPER orange feet and I pair attenion to that to know if they where out too long... But now everyone has black feet....

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

This will be my first winter with mandarins... and I know the are more of a warm weather bird so how can I keep them more warm in the winter... The winters can get bad here in northeast pa... And we have a pheasent in with them.  I only know of putting hay in the coop. Its raised off the ground and we are probably only going to allow them in the one half of the coop so less space (it will be like 5 feet by 3 feet) then and im sure thats enough for those 3 guys.


And for my other ducks I have no idea what I want to do. Last winter I only had 5 runners and 2 mallards and we would just let them out and when they wanted in they would go to the back door... But im up to 28 now So im not sure... Will ducks know when they are getting frostbite ?   I know it sounds stupid but my one runner mix had SUPER orange feet and I pair attenion to that to know if they where out too long... But now everyone has black feet....

You will be better off chatting in the ornamental area for the mandarins and winterizing them. Domestic ducks over here in the duck section since they do have different housing set ups.

 

[verlyn78]

I just got 2 ducks they are going on 5 weeks. I live in southern California so the winter do not get very cold. At the coldest it might hit freezing a few nights a year. Do you think even with the warmer temps here the ducks will wait until next spring to start laying? That is if they are girls. I still don't know what sex they are yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just got 2 ducks they are going on 5 weeks. I live in southern California so the winter do not get very cold. At the coldest it might hit freezing a few nights a year. Do you think even with the warmer temps here the ducks will wait until next spring to start laying? That is if they are girls. I still don't know what sex they are yet.

You have to consider length of daylight hours. your ducks if ducks and not drakes will start laying in the spring most likely.

 

[blondiebee181]

I just got 2 ducks they are going on 5 weeks. I live in southern California so the winter do not get very cold. At the coldest it might hit freezing a few nights a year. Do you think even with the warmer temps here the ducks will wait until next spring to start laying? That is if they are girls. I still don't know what sex they are yet.

Yeah I have been wondering the same thing about my 2 girls. They are going on 3 mos. and most people said that unless I light the duck house they will most likely wait until spring. And most people didn't recommend lighting. Taking the winter off to rest is a normal, natural and healthy process.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah I have been wondering the same thing about my 2 girls. They are going on 3 mos. and most people said that unless I light the duck house they will most likely wait until spring. And most people didn't recommend lighting. Taking the winter off to rest is a normal, natural and healthy process.

Yes i don't encourage using lighting to get eggs in the winter,. The girls need time to finish growing you'll have more eggs than you'll know what to do with come spring.

 

[blondiebee181]

Yes i don't encourage using lighting to get eggs in the winter,. The girls need time to finish growing you'll have more eggs than you'll know what to do with come spring.

I SUPPOSE I can bake in the Spring Miss Lydia

 

[Miss Lydia]

I SUPPOSE I can bake in the Spring Miss Lydia