**When will i get eggs?**

[goose man al]

Well my ducks have been breeding and get tons of light but still no eggs. How many hours and days do they need the light for tell them lay eggs. Also do mallards need anything for nesting like a litttle hut or something? And do i need to sepperate the drakes when the duckling come and will a hen lay eggs when shes with a drake?

 

[Little Barnyard]

do you have any males

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Well it's mighty cold still in your neck of the woods. Do you have your ducks in a nice warm place? Heat lamp available etc? If not, they may be waiting for warmer weather. You could also up their protien levels. I have Scovies and they've begun laying BUT the girls are demanding a ton more protien. They need to have plenty of protien to make those eggs esp. if they are also generating heat to keep warm.

 

[goose man al]

yes i do have a heat lamp in there and they have a warm place. What cal i feed them to up the protein right now they are on cracked corn.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
GET SOME REAL FEED! corm by itself does not even have enough protein to support the duck, let alone support her laying eggs You need 14 percent protein to support the duck I would feed at least 16% to a breeder duck.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

You can also give them some greens which they will be craving by now and if you have some dry cat or dog food give them a bit of that for a treat. My Scovies have gotten very good at hunting down the bowl of dry cat food I have out and scarfing it all up.

Poor kitties!

 

[Wifezilla]

GET SOME REAL FEED! corm by itself does not even have enough protein to support the duck, let alone support her laying eggs You need 14 percent protein to support the duck I would feed at least 16% to a breeder duck.

I agree!​

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

I started lighting my ducks at the end of January. It took about 3 weeks of 12-14 hours of light/day and I finally got eggs! I've only got two our of seven girls laying, but its a start!! My ducks have been getting DH's leftover ice fishing bait (minnows/feeder fish) and lots of fresh greens in addition to the layer pellets they get free choice daily.

 

[Wifezilla]

Now THAT is some real food.

My ducks LOVE fish. I get cheap feeder goldfish at a local pet store. I haven't priced bait fish yet.

I am honestly surprised that the ducks in question are still alive if they are only eating corn.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
So what do you do.....stick them in the water bowl? In the swimming water? (I can't imagine they'd live long in swimming water with all the duck-muck in there!)