Will ducks start laying in winter?

[BiggBen]

We hatched out 26 ducklings over this summer. Specifically on July 18th this year. This is our first time with ducks, and we’re wondering if they would start laying in the winter time when they become of age, or if they will wait till next spring? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They'll likely wait till after winter solstice. So they may not wait till spring but may start in January or February as long as they are exposed to natural light which will be lengthening by then.

 

[casportpony]

They'll likely wait till after winter solstice. So they may not wait till spring but may start in January or February as long as they are exposed to natural light which will be lengthening by then.

That's what I was thinking too.

 

[tayjamieson]

My young duck's laid in the winter still no problem. I do know the decrease in daylight can affect laying but I haven't experienced that yet with either my duck's or chickens. I live in Washington and we get sunshine 3 months out of the year if we are lucky. It's mostly cold, wet, and rainy here. Someone just told me a couple of days ago that you can place any light in their coop such as an LED bulb and it will work to compensate for the lost daylight. I thought for some reason it would have to be a special type of light but I guess not! I'm not 100% sure if it works on ducks but placing ceramic fake eggs or a golfball even in their nesting boxes/area they lay at will help remind them to lay their eggs there too.

 

[chickens really]

Mine don't lay here till after winter solstice either..I'm definitely way north though up here in Canada...

 

[katiebrock]

My young duck's laid in the winter still no problem. I do know the decrease in daylight can affect laying but I haven't experienced that yet with either my duck's or chickens. I live in Washington and we get sunshine 3 months out of the year if we are lucky. It's mostly cold, wet, and rainy here. Someone just told me a couple of days ago that you can place any light in their coop such as an LED bulb and it will work to compensate for the lost daylight. I thought for some reason it would have to be a special type of light but I guess not! I'm not 100% sure if it works on ducks but placing ceramic fake eggs or a golfball even in their nesting boxes/area they lay at will help remind them to lay their eggs there too.

LED is good too because it doesn't produce a lot of heat at all compared to normal bulbs!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had Runners laying through our winter their first year but they started in August. More than likely that makes a difference. When an if they started laying before winter set in.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Two of my runner hatches born the very end of May didn't start laying until January. I'm on my 3rd hatch now so we shall see what happens with them.

 

[KCNC06]

We have 3 Pekins that we got at the end of spring "Chick Days" last year... can't remember when that was though. But they all started laying in late fall/early winter. And they laid a lot of eggs. They got into my shrub nursery (100+ gardenia, azalea, crape myrtles and hydrangea plants that I started from cuttings last summer) and made nests everywhere. Didn't find most of the nests until spring when I was moving the plants out away from the house.

 

[PirateGirl]

If I remember right, mine started in winter, but after solstice. Also they only laid maybe 3 eggs a week until daylight picked up in spring and then lay more like 6 eggs a week.