Hi,
Ive tried everywhere else to rectify this issue ive been having with my ducks for the past 2 years, but to no avail. My search for help has lead me to this forum, where i really help someone can offer some ideas/help me.
Ill try and give as much info as possible regarding what im experiencing but it boils down to an issue with my ducks having a ridiculously short laying season.
So 4 years ago i built a duck enclose (ill give more info on it below) and purchased 2 runners, a cayuga, a magpie and a male khaki cambel. These ducks layed from April right through until November (1 egg each daily on average) and I couldnt have been happier (I even incubated one of eggs and ended up with a male cayuga/magpie kind of cross).
Unfortunately 2 years ago my next door neighbours son left the pen open one day and the ducks were killed by a fox, apart from one of the runners and the male cayuga/magpie I had hatched from a chick.
Here is where my issue started.
I purchased 2 runners and a cayuga from the same place I had bought the initial ducks ( All point of lay, they were a bit scratty as the farm the came from kept them in a barm and fed them on chicken crumb as chicks, but after a couple of week in my encloser they all perked up lovely).
My flock now consists of 3 runners, one cayuga, and the male cayuga/magpie cross.
Last year they began laying as usual in April, by May I was getting an egg off each a day however this tailed off and became sporadic toward the end of June. By early July they all stopped laying completely and a couple of week later went into moult. The moult lasted most of the summer however they never started laying again when their feathers had grown back in early September. I put this down to the ducks been quite young and possible barmy weather last year.
However, The same has happened this year. All my ducks began laying late April. The male was happily chasing the females about and errmmm doing his buisness(apart from the cayuga, which was very sporadic and started later than the runners) By the end of June they had completely stopped laying and 2 or 3 weeks later began to moult, then the male had no intrest in the females. They have now grown all their feathers back and look lovely and healthy, but make no attempt to lay eggs and the male is indifferent to them.
Basically I'm managing a month and a half of egg laying from my 'flock' and then they stop !
Housing
The ducks are in a fenced off area under 2 trees that provided a shaded area and an area of sunlight. The enclosure is 'Flagged' with york stone and they have a 5 foot x 4 footx 3 foot deep pond. They have a 5 foot x 4 foot duck house I built, up a ramp with a slate roof that stays lovely and dry. The rough dimensions of the enclosure are 25 foot x 25 foot. The pond is emptied and refilled weekly, they have fresh drinking water daily and deep dry sawdust in their home. Ive left a few gaps beween the stones in their pen which the ducks root about in for worms.
Feeding
I fill the feeding trough in their enclosure with a chinese takeout container (the plastic kind) of wheat and one of layer pellets daily. I add poultry grit (smashed shells) to their food trough when there is none. They also get salad and slugs/snails from the garden as and when I have them.
Health of ducks
The ducks all seem to be in peak condition, bright bills and feet, bright eyes and enjoy preening, foraging and swimming in the pond. Ive have examined their droppings carefully and can see no signs of parasites. Thier pen is completely hosed down one a week.
Well I think thats about the full story.. Is their anyone who can suggest what is going on with their laying/what I can do please?
Im really at the end of my teather as paying out for food/cleaning them/ time they take for no eggs most of the time is really making me consider giving up with them.
Ive tried everywhere else to rectify this issue ive been having with my ducks for the past 2 years, but to no avail. My search for help has lead me to this forum, where i really help someone can offer some ideas/help me.
Ill try and give as much info as possible regarding what im experiencing but it boils down to an issue with my ducks having a ridiculously short laying season.
So 4 years ago i built a duck enclose (ill give more info on it below) and purchased 2 runners, a cayuga, a magpie and a male khaki cambel. These ducks layed from April right through until November (1 egg each daily on average) and I couldnt have been happier (I even incubated one of eggs and ended up with a male cayuga/magpie kind of cross).
Unfortunately 2 years ago my next door neighbours son left the pen open one day and the ducks were killed by a fox, apart from one of the runners and the male cayuga/magpie I had hatched from a chick.
Here is where my issue started.
I purchased 2 runners and a cayuga from the same place I had bought the initial ducks ( All point of lay, they were a bit scratty as the farm the came from kept them in a barm and fed them on chicken crumb as chicks, but after a couple of week in my encloser they all perked up lovely).
My flock now consists of 3 runners, one cayuga, and the male cayuga/magpie cross.
Last year they began laying as usual in April, by May I was getting an egg off each a day however this tailed off and became sporadic toward the end of June. By early July they all stopped laying completely and a couple of week later went into moult. The moult lasted most of the summer however they never started laying again when their feathers had grown back in early September. I put this down to the ducks been quite young and possible barmy weather last year.
However, The same has happened this year. All my ducks began laying late April. The male was happily chasing the females about and errmmm doing his buisness(apart from the cayuga, which was very sporadic and started later than the runners) By the end of June they had completely stopped laying and 2 or 3 weeks later began to moult, then the male had no intrest in the females. They have now grown all their feathers back and look lovely and healthy, but make no attempt to lay eggs and the male is indifferent to them.
Basically I'm managing a month and a half of egg laying from my 'flock' and then they stop !
Housing
The ducks are in a fenced off area under 2 trees that provided a shaded area and an area of sunlight. The enclosure is 'Flagged' with york stone and they have a 5 foot x 4 footx 3 foot deep pond. They have a 5 foot x 4 foot duck house I built, up a ramp with a slate roof that stays lovely and dry. The rough dimensions of the enclosure are 25 foot x 25 foot. The pond is emptied and refilled weekly, they have fresh drinking water daily and deep dry sawdust in their home. Ive left a few gaps beween the stones in their pen which the ducks root about in for worms.
Feeding
I fill the feeding trough in their enclosure with a chinese takeout container (the plastic kind) of wheat and one of layer pellets daily. I add poultry grit (smashed shells) to their food trough when there is none. They also get salad and slugs/snails from the garden as and when I have them.
Health of ducks
The ducks all seem to be in peak condition, bright bills and feet, bright eyes and enjoy preening, foraging and swimming in the pond. Ive have examined their droppings carefully and can see no signs of parasites. Thier pen is completely hosed down one a week.
Well I think thats about the full story.. Is their anyone who can suggest what is going on with their laying/what I can do please?
Im really at the end of my teather as paying out for food/cleaning them/ time they take for no eggs most of the time is really making me consider giving up with them.
)a cross with a not so prolific layer such as cuyuga, or just not a good laying srain of runner. Sometimes it is what it is and not much we can do about it I am afraid..