When do Muscovies start laying again?

[OscarsHarem]

I have seven Muskovy‘s, six hens and a Drake. I got them last March and starting around June they laid so many eggs I couldn’t keep up with them. Then they gradually stopped laying around August and it looks like they are constantly molting and I get maybe one egg a day. What can I expect with egg laying this fall and winter? I live just outside of Portland Oregon

 

[Miss Lydia]

Might be geological as to laying patterns but my Muscovy stopped laying in early Oct. start their molt and begin egg-laying again the following March. Some that live in warmer climates have eggs year round even duckling year round. So a few members in Texas have said.

 

[OscarsHarem]

Might be geological as to laying patterns but my Muscovy stopped laying in early Oct. start their molt and begin egg-laying again the following March. Some that live in warmer climates have eggs year round even duckling year round. So a few members in Texas have said.

So Muscovy just don’t lay at all during the winter?

 

[ProudRedneck]

So Muscovy just don’t lay at all during the winter?

So far my Muscovy hen is following this pattern Miss Lydia refers to

stopped laying in early Oct. start their molt

My hen stopped laying at the end of Sept and both hen & SA drake are starting to molt now.

For reference: I'm in N.E. Florida

 

[OscarsHarem]

Ok thanks! It’s my first winter with ducks. I guess I just keep them fed and watered and eventually they start laying again in the spring?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So Muscovy just don’t lay at all during the winter?

I've never had a Muacovy lay year round. But a member who lives in Texas has Muscovy that lay brood and hatch year-round. So maybe it depends on where you live, Mine have always been seasonal layers. start in March end in Oct. and then of course you have to think about all the times they will be broody. Which with mine is a lot. lol

 

[ProudRedneck]

Ok thanks! It’s my first winter with ducks. I guess I just keep them fed and watered and eventually they start laying again in the spring?

Same here, mine were born in March as well so we'll be on the same time line or at least similar

 

[RebinNH]

I have 2 rescued muscovy hens and they are still laying but somedays I'll find 2 eggs from them and others just one. They do however lay unformed (no shell) eggs as well - one or two a day - even though they have free choice of their crushed shells and oyster shell. I just as soon they stop, as I think it may be hard on their bodies (especially the little one I've been dealing with wet feather on). I wonder do you all think there is something that the farmer who had them (for egg production) until a month ago, maybe gave them to stimulate the production?

 

[ProudRedneck]

Update from N.E. Florida - I found two eggs yesterday but I don't know when she laid them and she just laid one 10 mins ago. She took a hiatus for only 3 weeks since laying her initial 26 eggs.

 

[RebinNH]

Could this be a light issue? I think perhaps the farmer might have had lights on outside to keep them laying. But that said I do not except for the pink heat lamp light which I turn on just long enough to escort them into their coop. Maybe 10 minutes, if that.