The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: kitchen cottage on July 26, 2012, 05:34:58 am

Title: ducks off lay
Post by: kitchen cottage on July 26, 2012, 05:34:58 am
last week I had an egg each every day from each of my five ladies (indian runners) this week NUFFINK  :(  I can't think of anything that would have knocked them off lay.  Any thoughts?
Title: Re: ducks off lay
Post by: Sylvia on July 26, 2012, 07:15:54 am
My IRs and KCs start to moult and go off lay at this time of year and usually start again at the end og August/beginning of September and lay right through the winter when the hens have stopped. :&> :&>
Title: Re: ducks off lay
Post by: Beeducked on July 26, 2012, 08:33:04 am
Mine slow down / stop this time of year too. The young girls lay through the first winter but not often the second.
Title: Re: ducks off lay
Post by: Womble on July 26, 2012, 12:31:25 pm
That's not slowing down though, it's an emergency stop!
 
If it's any good to you, our runners all decided to sit, en masse, but then threw the eggs out of the nest when they started hatching "EEEK, Look Mavis! There's something moving in there - quick, kill it!!"
 
So of course no eggs for the 2 months (oops) they were sitting, no ducklings to show for it, and no eggs since. It's a good job I still find them amusing, or I would.......  ;)
Title: Re: ducks off lay
Post by: Fowlman on July 26, 2012, 12:59:59 pm
Ours have come to a grinding halt too.
Title: Re: ducks off lay
Post by: northfifeduckling on July 29, 2012, 04:57:30 pm
I just found another nest with 20 eggs - hens' and ducks' mixed and well hidden. Any chance yours could be hiding them somewhere? They're crafty little b*%%£rs, if only they were better as breeders and mums - I can so feel for you, Womble  :wave: :wave: :&>