Will they lay this year?

[Amiga]

Some ducks just take a while.

I found my runners take two or three months off in the fall, most of them, and out of nine ducks I get one or two eggs a day, sometimes none.

Then, about this time of year, they start slowly to lay again. This morning, of my eleven (the two Buffs contributing) we have five eggs.

We feed a combination (long story) of Countryside Organic Layer, Blue Seal layer pellets, and Mazuri Waterfowl for Breeders. Free choice oyster shell is offered, and they are funning around one of the gardens foraging. I toss in a handful of cat kibble from time to time. Pease are offered as treats a few times a week. Lettuce is occasionally offered.

Their nighttime shelter is about 40 to 50 degrees F. They get a little extra light, as I need the light myself for a bit in the afternoon.

Mine are almost two years old now.

I suspect it has something to do with what time of year they were hatched, too. I don't know about Romy and Michele (rescues), but the others were hatched the end of February and the first duck began laying four months later. It took another couple of months or more for everyone to lay the first time. So that's closer to six months.

 

[mandelyn]

My Saxony girls turn 6 months old in 3 days. Any minute now ladies! I can feel it!

Quackers is still laying, she skipped a day, then laid double the next night. I was so excited to see 2 eggs! Then I compared them to each other, identical... it was Quackers being an over achiever again.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

grawg: thats great! Im happy yours are laying.... It took FOREVER for my rouen hen to lay, then she stopped a month after. The last egg she laid went in my incubator and hatched.

Mandelyn: saxonys are a heavy breed correct? My rouen didnt start till 8 months

 

[DB_Tex]

my campbells hatched first week of july, my gold 300s first week of august, and I picked up 3 adult rescue hens from a huge sanctuary situation, so no way to know if they were laying before, and then I was given an adult campbell hen that WAS laying before she came here (on cracked corn only, no less.)
My buff orp girl is coupled up with my crippled runner drake, and that last campbell hen (my daughter's pet) hooked up with an extremly handsomely marked rouen(?) drake I got in a meaties lot--so I guess he's staying while all his "brothers" get to go to freezer camp. I guess true love DOES conquer all! LOL. I will get a picture of him up today (and I suppose of my pen for opinions)

If I still don't get eggs in feb, I'm going to start selling off some of the golden 300 girls on CL... I'll have run out of every reason for not laying besides overcrowding in the "night pen". (There's no laying going on in the yard during free range time either...)

HOWEVER! I have hope. Yesterday I noticed that while all the swinging singles couldn't wait to play in puddles and commandeer my in ground swimming pool, the two couples went BACK to the pen to check out all the nest boxes together. Thats got to be a good sign, right?

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
I sure hope we get eggs

and yes, VERY good thing

My rouen drake and rouen hen are leaving in spring, hes been acting up and is all braty. After I send some rouen eggs to a friend. But if my other rouen hen starts laying soon she will stay. Trying to make room for some better quality WHs. Im also selling two of my mutt ducklings, and my 3 WH hens once I get my new ones. (long storey...) By next fall I will have 8 ducks, 3 or 4 chickens, and 2 geese. Very confusing

 

[DB_Tex]

First couple pictures are of my duck pen setup (with everybody inside.) Keep in mind that where I live "winter" is 65 degrees and sunny so I put it together more with shade in the summer in mind than warm for the winter. And the duck house IS walled in the back, it just blends into the ground so you can't tell.

Second set is the drake I mentioned with his lovely. I guarded my heart when we first got him because I was adamant those boys were meaties, now I'm psyched... he's SO pretty! wish I knew what hatchery he came from.