Winter greens for ducks?

[columbiacritter]

So we've been snowed or iced over for the last 10 days. My ducks slowed down then stopped laying. I bought a HUGE bag of spinach at the store and have been feeding them several hanfuls a day. After three days they started laying again.

Was I just seeing a temporary slow down or did the spinach really do the job?

 

[GardenerGal]

Maybe a coincidence if you've been giving them a balanced diet, even if it's just poultry pellets. If your ducks were moulting, that would also make a temporary break in laying. Also, depending on the breed, there may be a natural lull in laying when daylight length shortens in winter. I know that my mallard-type breeds all stop laying from November until around February no matter what I feed them. They moult, then go through a rest phase during the shortest days of the year. Then they start laying again when the daylight reaches a certain length in late winter. It's been like that as long as I've had ducks.

Maybe your quackers had their egg-laying thrown off by being snowed in, if the barn or shed where you keep them is dimly lit? Not enough daylight?

 

[calmlake]

the spinach helped I am sure but it is slightly toxic to ducks (too much iron). a far better choice would be chopped romaine lettuce. they love it, it carries no risk and is nutritious. iceberg lettuce is almost worthless as it has little nutrition. also alfalfa cubes (usually used for guinea pigs and hamsters are good if soaked in hot water till they break up. remove any uneaten alfalfa in 24 hours to prevent mold.