[Rubyroo]

Hi all...

I would like some advice from seasoned duck keepers please and anyone else who may be able to shed some light on possible reasons and how to get my girls laying again.

Firstly i'll paint the picture for you all....
Up until a month ago i had 4 ducks (2 khaki 2 white campbells) laying 3-4eggs daily. They're 14months old and have laid very regulary (even throughout all the snow last winter), i also had 5 hens (RIR, L.Sussex, Welsummer, buff Cochin & blue Orpington) all approx 18 months old and they too were frequent layers.
They shared our large back garden with our collie and lab, and FR happily all day everyday.

Sadly, a fox got into our fenced off area one night and i lost 1 khaki and 3 hens.

Since then (6weeks approx) my ducks have only laid 1 egg (in total), and that was 5 weeks ago.
To begin with i put it down to the shock & stress of the attack, but now i'm beginning to wonder if something else could be the reason??

I've introduced 6 new chooks into the flock (2 weeks ago), they're growers-POL and after a week of re-establishing the pecking order everyone is in their place (the ducks ranking quite high).
The ducks are in their house (the same house they have always slept in), the laying hens sleep in another house and my 5 younger girls are in a 3rd house. They all know their houses and happily put them selves to bed each evening when it gets dark.

My daily/weekly routine hasn't altered at all...
*they are all let out in the morning when it gets light and locked up when it gets dark.
*they are fed the same pellets
*fresh water daily (with added ACV once/twice a week)
*pond topped up with fresh water daily
*house cleaned out twice a week & lice powder (disinfected & scrubbed out regulary)
*wormed quarterly with flubenvet & monthly with verm-x

Perhaps someone else has experienced similar non-laying problems and can offer some advice?? Sorry for waffling but thinking the more info you guys know the easier it will be to suggest things to do/try.

Many thanks in advance

Kay

[Sassy]

It is great that you have kept their routine the same as they have been through the shock of the fox attack and the disruption of adding more chooks - both enough to put them off lay. It should be noted that not all ducks will lay through the winter and it is often down to the strain rather than the breed of duck. Even if they laid through their first winter it does not necessarily follow that they will continue through successive winters.

[Rubyroo]

Thanks for your response..i'm hoping it's down to the time of the year, so i'll just have to be patient and play the waiting game.

Many thanks again

[Kate and her Ducks]

I'd put it down to the time of year as well.

Mine have not laid since September with the exception of my star girl Ellie. Ducks are much more seasonal than chickens and although most of mine have laid through their first winter, they do not lay through their second. They generally stop about Sept and restart in Feb.

[Sarah Mitchell]

Hi

I am sorry to hear you had a visit from Mr Fox.

I don't know anything about ducks, but I wonder if you have considered whether rats or magpies/ crows are getting into the house and taking the eggs?  I've had a similar experience thinking that my hens had gone off laying, but then one day I found the remains of a shell and spotted a very quilty looking magpie perched nearby!  I do also have occasional rat problems (grrr) and they do take eggs.

Hope that helps you in your investigations!

Kind regards, Sarah

[Rubyroo]

Good morning.

I am happy to say that whilst i was away at sea working last week, one of my ducks has started laying again. We've had 6 eggs in 7 days   
My mum looks after my girls when i'm away getting thrown around the English channel in these horrible storms  That news cheered me!