Fowler Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Help! It some months (about 18!) since I got my first runner duck who lived apparently very happily with a couple of hens, but never laid a thing. About 2 months ago I upgraded to a walk-in enclosure and added two more hens and another runner duck. All the hens lay... and my new duck laid on day one... but not an egg has appeared since! The enclosure is 4m x 2.5m, secluded and about 50m from the house; ducks have a wooden house at ground level with straw/paper bedding and the hens have an eglu classic on top of this with a ladder up to it; there is a splash "pond" (70cm diameter, changed every few days), layers pellets abound... Based in Yorkshire but surely (this year at least) cannot blame the weather?! The ducks seem very happy with each other, and will curl up with the hens as well (although they are both more "nervy" around people than the chooks are). As both ducks came from a much less pleasant home originally (big indoor barn, little bedding, no splash water) and were laying, I'm at a loss as to what I'm doing wrong? IW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 As ducks are good at laying where they stand could it be that eggs are being laid in the run and the hens are eating them? If you still have the old run could you remove one duck for a few days at a time and see what happens when they are separated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowler Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 May be worth a go. As I understand it, ducks usually lay first thing, so perhaps if I close the chucks in (they are still in an eglu classic which has been elevated to being a penthouse suite on top of the duck box) then I can do a check for duck eggs before they get out. Failing that I'll re-assemble the eglu run and try the separation idea. I've noticed a new posting on the forum covering the same problem... and wonder whether it is the same issue (ie my new duck was a layer but stopped on introduction to the old duck who has never laid and is very nervy... Perhaps ducky-diazepam??? (joking!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
