why did my cayuga ducks stop laying?

[CayugaLover]

okay, so, i know that ducks have a season, and that they stop laying at their season. can anyone tell me what that season is? this could be perfectly normal. but, i have had a lot of snake problems in the past, and that could be what is happening also. i do have a drake to encorage my girls to lay, and i have caught them sitting on my chicken/duck coop as if they were about to lay, but no eggs. the chicken coop has been searched thoroughly, but no snake. i check for eggs in the morning, evening, and once or twice in the afternoon. also, more than eighteen hens have been laying 4 eggs a day. i have not found any shells or evidence that my hens are eating the eggs, and they don't seem interested in the eggs until i pick them up. (must be hoping that i drop one so that they can eat the yolk... had that happen once.) sooo, can i please have some help!!!!!

 

[DustinT]

I'm having the same problem with my chickens. I've been lucky to get an egg every couple days. I figured it is related to the fact that the days are getting shorter. I didn't expect them to stop laying so early. I thought about putting a light on a timer to make sure they have a 14hr day.

 

[CayugaLover]

that is what i thought... what are they doing stopping laying early? they are pretty young... does that make a difference?

 

[chickenology]

My two cayuga hens stopped laying 3 days ago, I was wondering the same thing. Maybe this is normal for them?? Our ducks are 8 months old and these are the first ducks we have ever had, so I don't know what to expect. The days are getting shorter though, so I hope this is normal.

 

[Kevin565]

All of your guys cases are perfectly normal. Ducks need to give their bodies a break once in awhile and will just randomly stop laying. This is especially common in young layers. You will get more eggs later this year or defiantly around spring.

 

[blakescayuga]

My sons brought a trio of cayugas about two months ago. As expected after a week to settle in the hens laid an egg each but that's it, none since. It's mid summer and the days are long so I don't understand why they've stopped now. Their cages and free range, they seem happy and healthy and I've found no evidence of them being eaten. I see the hen in the best box occasionally but nothing. All three are between 1-3years old.