[daveinmanc]

my other halfs normally very productive duckies have been having some time off from laying the last two weeks . . . . . hardly a thing  :shock:  normally they've been 2 eggs a day regular as clockwork between them with the occasional 3 (nearly always found in their house). more worrying is they also lay outside and even with a recently strimmed garden not as single one has been found outside either?

last saturday they took there selves off to bed for the first time ever, again on sunday and monday too, normally they'd be out all hours if you let em  . . .

with the absence of a fox sighting, any suggestions for whats worrying them?

i've thought rats, cats, stoats, weasels and mink, not sure how many are practical for her area (rural cheshire) but a few must be? its not mites or creepy crawlies, their behaviour suggests they are frightened as they have seemed reluctant to come out of their house some mornings and then 'jump' now and then as if they're expecting a fright!

anything else i might have missed bar the above ?

[poultrygeist]

Aerial predators ?? ie Raptors ??

No idea what sort of threat they'd present to an adult duck.

Rob

[Vember]

My parents are Alderley Edge (rural as in on the edge its self!)way and there are Buzzards an the like there, but we have them here 2 and my Call ducks have never acted like your discribing.  Where's Kate, she'll have an idea

[Kate and her Ducks]

Know what you mean about them being out all hours, mine are the same usually although I have to say they have their moments. Mine over recent months have taken to almost always laying outside (have started laying a little later in the day but still get let out at 6:30) however this week they have been going back to the house during the day to lay! Can't explain the jumpiness but could they be moulting to account for the lack of laying, mine tail right off when moulting and because they do it in stages it isn't always as obvious as you would think (well as I thought anyway :oops: ). Could they have a little hidy hole somewhere (mine sometimes manage this and I find them in a little clutch in a plant pot!). As long as they look healthy I wouldn't worry too much but keep an eye on them, Amazing birds, ducks

[Foxy]

slightly off topic and a question for Kate and Vember (opologies for thread hijacking) My runners are now 11weeks old - and their feathers have started to look well a little scruffy, was wondering if that would be them moulting again???
They have plenty of access to lots of clean water, loads of space to ermm "run" still on growers with whatever else they find, oh and I give them a little mixed corn with a little wheat. thanks!

[Vember]

Could it be they 're getting rid of their Juvenile plumage and becoming "adults" ?

Sounds a bit that way I think this can happen as early as 9 weeks ??


Kate......

[Kate and her Ducks]

Yep, shedding their juvenile plummage and getting their grown up nuptuial plummage. Will be able to tell who's boys and girls if their voices haven't given it away yet! Mine started at about 12 weeks.