When will ducks start laying again?

[EdgewaterDucks]

Hi Everyone! My first thread.. so excited...so nervous...

Apologies if this was discussed elsewhere on the duck forum. My 4 two-year-old Welsh Harlequin girls stopped their egg-laying back in October, and they all went through a molt and came through the Polar Vortex A-OK.

I'm wondering when I might expect them to start up again. Maybe someone around my latitude can provide an estimate based on their experience. Last year they never stopped laying during their first winter, but now it appears they've got a cycle going. Should I start looking now, or maybe hold off until March. Thanks all!

Check out Keith's eclipse plumage from last fall!

 

[MagpieDucks]

Mine usually start back up again towards the end of February.

 

[MagpieDucks]

Beautiful ducks by the way!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Oh my gosh those are such pretty ducks! I love that breed!

 

[EdgewaterDucks]

Oh my gosh those are such pretty ducks! I love that breed!

Thanks DuckyDonna! I'm abashed to say I especially chose that breed because they're really good looking. Particularly the females. I'm so shallow!

 

[BullChick]

In the northeast, mine start up in the beginning to mid-March.

 

[Kessel23]

Last year I was able to collect and set duck eggs for the Easter hatch along so my birds were definitely laying at the end of February that year.

 

[Duckworth]

I have four Welshie females and they look really similar to yours, down to the one who is more white and black than the others. My white and black one is Flipper, whose feather loss I have been asking about in another thread. I’m in Nebraska. Flipper laid all winter last year and until about two weeks ago this winter. The others started back up sometime in February last year, but because I had someone else caring for them while I recovered from surgery, their nutrition got off and they haven’t restarted laying, yet.

 

[EdgewaterDucks]

I have four Welshie females and they look really similar to yours, down to the one who is more white and black than the others.

Whoa, that's freaky. Both of us with three regular girls and a pale one. My white lady's name is Rita. Named after the character in Mulholland Drive (and Rita Moreno, of course!) Thanks for the heads up about February.

 

[Duckworth]

Flipper was named because before my duck house and pen were completed, I had to keep the girls indoors at night in their brooder (a kiddie pool, surrounded by 24” high welded wire fencing and covered by a sheet—not the most convenient setup!) Every morning, I carried them outside to a pet gazebo with their food and a smaller kiddie pool, so that they could enjoy the outdoors. Flipper used to flip her feet vigorously as I carried her in and out and I took to singing her the theme song from “Flipper” with “tree” substituted for “sea.”

Our others are Nipper, Duchess, and Feisty Girl, based on their defining characteristics.