When do ducks start laying eggs: at what age and how do they lay eggs?

Despite the fact that ducks are bred for meat, poultry farmers need to know when ducks start laying eggs and how many eggs each female can lay. This information is important for calculating the number of parent stock to produce young animals. Egg production rates differ among different breeds; in addition, the number is influenced by the conditions and age of the bird.

When do ducks start laying eggs at home?

Many novice poultry farmers are primarily interested in the age at which ducks begin to lay eggs. How many months the female lays her first egg depends on factors such as nutrition, care, living conditions, and individual characteristics of the body.

On average, this is usually around 6 months old. These poultry usually begin laying eggs in the spring. In the 2nd and 3rd months of laying, the number of eggs increases to 23–26 eggs per month, in the 5th and 6th months - up to 27.

These domestic birds are capable of laying eggs all year round. The only exception is the molting period, which occurs 2 times a year:

in the summer (June - July), when the tail feathers fall out, then small ones, and the flight feathers are renewed;
in the fall (September - October), when only the tail feathers and small feathers are renewed.

During molting, it is important to provide birds with special care, since during this period they are most prone to diseases.

Possible problems during breeding and maintenance

Indo-duck with brood

The main problem is that the duck tends to fly somewhere before the cold weather. Apparently, the instinct inherent in the genes is triggered.

The duck may not fly far, but it may settle in the neighboring yard on an apple tree. It may be interesting to observe, but it is not convenient in practice. To avoid systematically removing your ducks from someone else’s garden, try following these recommendations:

take good care of the Indian ducks, feed them plenty, their large weight and body size may make it difficult for freedom-loving individuals to move;
in addition, you can trim the flight feathers on their wings. Just carefully move the wing up, slightly to the side, trim the outline with scissors as much as possible;
Another remedy is to build a spacious indoor aviary for birds.

Indoor enclosure option

Considering that the drake weighs much more than females, who weigh on average 1.5 - 2 kg (only sometimes growing up to 3 kg), one can understand why it does not try to fly. A male can easily gain weight up to 6 kg. By the way, there are usually more “boys” born among chicks.

If the Indian does not want to lay eggs - tips

This type of duck is especially neat, so if you don’t clean up after it in time, if the bedding is wet, the bird may go on strike.
Perhaps there is something missing in your diet, try to improve it qualitatively.
Regular grazing of ducks has a positive effect on egg laying productivity.
Always leave one fresh egg in the nest until the next day, so the duck will get used to laying eggs in one place.
The duck may not want to lay eggs because it is preparing for the hatching season, in this case the situation cannot be changed, you just need to wait.
Perhaps the presence of a rare disease has decimated the duck; it is better to isolate it for some period and observe it.

Duck egg production

Compared to other poultry, ducks are long-lived birds as they can live for about 20 years. However, they lose the ability to lay eggs by the age of 5–6 years. On average, each female can lay about 120 eggs per year.

The egg production of these birds is influenced by the following factors:

care of the owners for birds;
breed;
balanced diet;
age of birds.

Important! Ducks typically lay eggs between 2 and 3 am. To obtain chicks, it is necessary to collect eggs no later than 6 am in order to prevent them from hypothermia, which will make it impossible for the ducklings to be born.

At 6–8 months

As already stated, ducks begin laying eggs at about 6 months of age. When females reach this age, egg laying begins almost daily, and in the first month the pullets lay 20 eggs. In the 2nd and 3rd months (at the age of 7–8 months), the number of eggs will increase to 23–26 eggs per month.

At 8–10 months

From the beginning of egg production and further to 3 years, the productivity of ducks only increases if they are kept in suitable conditions. Therefore, at 8–10 months of age, females lay even more eggs than from the beginning of oviposition - up to 27 eggs per month.

At 10–12 months and older

The most productive, as practice shows, is the 2nd year of egg laying. It is during this period that the eggs are of the highest quality and the chicks from them are born healthy; moreover, they grow and develop faster.

Subsequently, the egg production rate decreases by 5–10% every year and drops significantly by 5 years.

Lifespan.

The average lifespan of a mallard according to banding data is 3-5 years and about 10 years in captivity. The maximum age a bird can live to is 29 years. Thus, a mallard tagged with a ring in 1981 was caught by hunters in 2008, meaning it lived for 27 years. But in the natural habitat this is extremely rare.

Despite the large number of natural enemies, the mallard population is stable. The number of individuals does not cause concern among specialists and does not require inclusion in the Red Book. However, some measures have been introduced in Russia to preserve the population of wild ducks. It is prohibited to collect bird eggs and catch adult birds with nets. In spring, only males are allowed to be hunted. In a number of regions of the country, places where mallard ducks nest are considered protected natural areas.

Features of egg production in winter

Under natural conditions, the most productive egg-laying period for ducks is spring, when weather conditions contribute to this, the opportunity to obtain all the necessary nutrients from food, etc.

However, when raising such birds at home, you can try to provide them with comfortable conditions for egg laying even in winter. To do this, it is necessary to maintain a temperature in the duck house of at least 8 °C.

During the day, females can spend time outside in places cleared of snow, but at night they must spend the night in a room specially equipped for this with a certain temperature.

If the temperature is below the specified value, the eggs will freeze, and in the worst case, the ducks may stop laying eggs altogether.

Important! When the air temperature is too high, the birds feel worse and they may also stop laying eggs at their normal pace. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the microclimate so that the livestock is not too cold or too hot.

Also, the poultry house must have bedding about 30 cm thick; they can be made from straw, shavings, etc.

Take care to keep the duck house not only warm, but also dry, be sure to keep the duck house clean, and regularly ventilate the room where the birds live.

Egg production also directly depends on the length of daylight hours. Thanks to sunlight, the birds' bodies produce red blood cells, vitamin D, and the level of hemoglobin increases, therefore, the productivity of ducks increases.

If you want to ensure that the egg production of poultry does not decrease in winter, provide them with additional artificial lighting.

Influence of breed on egg production

The productivity of these birds also depends on their breed.

Let's find out what breed of ducks you need to choose to get the most eggs:

Beijing

Most often, poultry farmers choose the Peking breed for breeding, the meat of which, however, is distinguished by its fat content. Beijing females in adulthood gain about 3 kg of weight, and their egg production reaches 150 eggs per year.

If you properly care for the livestock and eggs, you can get 100 ducklings in a year. They usually lay eggs at night, but they are bad parents and do not like to hatch eggs.

Indian

Indo-ducks, or, as they are also called, musk ducks, are purchased by lovers of leaner meat. Representatives of this breed are distinguished by their calmness.

Such birds grow quite large, and egg production is about 120 eggs per year. If Peking ducks lay eggs at night, then musky ducks are still sleeping at this time, and begin to lay eggs closer to the morning.

Mulard

To improve the quality of meat, some poultry farmers cross representatives of the two previous breeds to produce Mulard ducklings.

They grow very quickly, reach quite large sizes, but begin to lay eggs only after reaching 180 days of age. The egg production of mulards is about 100 eggs per year.

The main conditions of detention for ducks to start laying eggs

Ducks begin to lay eggs at 5-6 months if they are kept according to the rules. Egg production increases when the required temperature is maintained in the room.

Productivity is influenced by nutritional adjustments and daylight hours. The breed also influences the age at which Indian ducks begin to lay eggs.

Complete and constant feeding

25-30 days before the bird begins to lay its first eggs, it needs frequent, nutritious meals. At this time, a feeding regimen is established at least 4 times a day.

Various nutritional elements and vitamins help the egg to form; for this purpose, the food is balanced.

Boiled meat, fish, whey, low-fat cottage cheese and products containing animal fats will help the little duckling get stronger, grow, and gain weight.

Increased daylight hours

Domestic ducks will be able to lay their first clutch ahead of schedule if additional lighting is installed in the room.

The development of reproductive organs in birds is directly related to light, therefore, before laying begins, the daylight hours are gradually increased to 15-16 hours, adding 25-30 minutes daily.

Light bulbs with a power of 700 lm are hung evenly around the perimeter of the poultry house (1 light bulb per 1 m²). At night, one dim lamp is left on and the rest of the lighting is turned off.

Walking mode

Daily bird walking should take 40-45 minutes. This is important when ducks begin to lay eggs.

Also, walks include water treatments, so there should be a small pond near the poultry house.

Stimulation of laying hens

If the farm follows all the recommendations for keeping poultry, but domestic ducks refuse to lay eggs, stimulation can be carried out. It consists of giving the livestock biologically active additives that stimulate the body and increase tone. Such drugs can be purchased at veterinary pharmacies and given to the bird according to instructions, remembering that an overdose can lead to deterioration in health.

The most popular means:

Aqueous infusion of Eleutherococcus roots. The drug begins to be given 3 weeks before the start of egg laying. Dosage - 0.3 g of dry matter per head per day. The dietary supplement is introduced into the feed for 20 days.
ASD. Dorogov's stimulant has a strengthening and mobilizing effect on the animal's body. Ducks are given the drug in an amount of 3 ml per 100 heads. For ease of use, the working volume of the liquid is first diluted in water, then the solution is added to the feed. The course of stimulation is 1 week.
Premix or BMVD. The complex of vitamins and minerals has a stimulating effect on the bird, accelerating the onset of egg laying. For ducks, the same premixes are used as for chickens: Zdravur Laying, Ryabushka.

It is necessary to understand that artificial stimulation of the bird forces the body to work to the limit of its capabilities. Without the support of a balanced diet during egg laying, the duck will weaken and may die.

Reasons for the decline

The egg production of ducks may decrease significantly, or birds may stop laying eggs altogether for the following common reasons:

Unsuitable temperature conditions: birds in the nesting house must feel safe; for this, the temperature of the room where they live must be at least 8 ° C, otherwise egg laying may not be possible.
Unbalanced nutrition: it is important to provide the ducks with the necessary amount of food and clean drinking water, but not to overfeed the livestock (obese females do not lay eggs). When breeding ducks, it is better to use grain and special mixtures that include grass, bone meal, etc. If you want the birds to be healthy, choose high quality food.
Lack of fresh air. Even in winter, these birds need walks. They may not be as long as at other times of the year, but they are necessary every day for at least 1 hour.
Short daylight hours. To ensure that the egg production of ducks does not decrease during the cold season, it is necessary to equip the duckling house with artificial light.

If you eliminate all of the above reasons for a decrease in egg production, then only health problems can interfere with the birds’ good productivity. In this case, it is better to contact a veterinarian to help determine the cause of the problem.

Enemies

The common mallard living in the wild has many enemies. These are birds of prey: white-tailed eagles, falcons, representatives of the order of owls and others.

Some predatory animals also hunt wild ducks. These include foxes, otters, skunks, martens, minks, wild cats and raccoon dogs. They not only attack adult birds, but also destroy their nests.

Humans are also one of the natural enemies of the mallard duck. This bird is the first to suffer during the hunting season. And this is no coincidence: mallard duck has very tasty and nutritious meat. In addition, by autumn it gains decent weight, which is an additional incentive for hunters. It is caught in reservoirs where nesting occurs, as well as during migration to wintering areas.

How to increase?

To increase the productivity of poultry, you need to:

Monitor the health of both laying hens and drakes. An indicator of their health is the bright orange color of their legs and beak, as well as a good appetite. If your ducks are not drinking or eating enough, you should contact your veterinarian.
Along with regular food (which should include tops of root crops, potato peelings, soaked barley, greens), use various vitamin supplements for large birds.
These birds are very sensitive to relocation, which is stressful for them. Therefore, to prevent ducks’ egg production from decreasing, it is better to save them from “moving.”
Most breeds of domestic ducks cannot live peacefully with members of another breed. Therefore, in order to avoid conflicts between individuals, which are also stressful for them and can reduce the level of egg production, it is better not to keep representatives of different breeds in one place.

Preparing for egg laying

Most domestic ducks are unpretentious to the conditions in which they live. All they need is:

warm and ventilated chicken coop;
good nutrition;
without external irritants.

On the eve of hatching, females carefully arrange their nests. To make it easier for them, it is better for the owner to install special boxes in the barn.

While ducks are laying eggs, they should not be moved to another house. It is better to plan the construction of a chicken coop, as well as the move, for autumn or winter, so that the birds get used to their new home by spring.

Nests lined with hay or sawdust should be placed in the far corners of the barn, where there is no bright light, dry, warm and quiet. As bedding becomes dirty, it should be replaced.

Hatching Issues

When ducks begin to lay eggs, comfortable, calm conditions are created for them to hatch:

A drinking bowl with clean water is placed next to the nest. While hatching chicks, the bird should eat well and drink a lot.
For musky breeds, a large trough with water for bathing is installed in the room.
When the hen sits on the clutch, the water remaining on the feathers washes away the fatty film from the eggs, enriching them with oxygen. Also, water from the feathers prevents the eggs from overheating.
The first few days the laying hen does not get up from the nest and does not eat. Then every day he goes for a thirty-minute walk. This helps her feel better.

Preparing eggs for laying

Before lining the eggs in the nest, they must be kept in a dark, dry place for 5 days. The temperature in the room should be +15 ... +20 °C.

Poultry farmers advise washing the eggs before laying them, but such treatment is not necessary; the chick will hatch without it.

How to train an Indian duck to sit on eggs?

To develop the maternal instinct in a bird, 20 eggs are laid in a nest. It will not be possible to assemble a large batch right away, since the first eggs may disappear. Therefore, the hen is taken home, the eggs are accumulated to the required quantity, and then they are added.

Farmer tips:

To sort out defective eggs (dirty, cracked, irregularly shaped), the first batch is taken away and eggs from another clutch are placed in its place.
The first clutch is taken home and marked.
The duck will get used to the nest faster if she is given a false egg. When the hen gets used to it, she is given eggs from the first clutch, and then all the others.
The lining is carried out so that the bird does not see it, otherwise it will refuse the eggs. This is done when the hen goes for a walk. To ensure that the temperature of the clutch is at the required level, eggs that do not fit under the bird are removed.

There's a lot of trouble with the little ones

After 27-28 days, ducklings are born. I receive my first brood from foster turkey mothers around mid-May. I raise these ducklings separately, without a brood hen. If there is a need, I sell it completely (ducklings are readily bought at the market at this time). And under the turkeys I put a new batch of duck eggs.

In early June, the ducks themselves hatch their chicks. I remove the shells from under the hens, and take the hatched chicks into the house on a warm stove and place them in boxes. Ducklings hatch within 24 hours. I give day-old ducklings a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. This is necessary to disinfect and cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of babies. The food for the first 3 days is boiled eggs, mashed through a sieve and mixed with semolina or corn grits.

The next day after hatching, I bring wooden boxes covered with hay into the house into the kitchen. I put a duck in each one and let the ducklings approach it. During the night spent together, hens and babies get used to each other. In the morning, if it’s warm and sunny outside, I release the ducks with their broods onto the green grass in the yard. It can be interesting to watch a close-knit family. Ducklings stay close to their mothers in a group. With their heads held high, they get acquainted with the world around them. However, I don’t let them walk for a long time. It is harmful for small ducklings to be in the sun a lot in the first days. They may get sunstroke and die. Therefore, children should be in the shade. And in five days, when they grow up, they themselves will choose what is better for them - bask in the sun or sit in the shade at the feeder.

Three days after hatching, food for ducklings is crumbly millet porridge mixed with finely chopped boiled eggs, onions, and young nettles. I put water in an automatic drinking bowl for them so that the chicks can drink as much as they want. And before each feeding I make sure to pour fresh water. Once every three days I tint the water with potassium permanganate.

I give the ducklings weak green tea, re-brewed. When the broth has cooled, I add a little ascorbic acid or glucose to it (1 tablet per liter of water) and pour it into the drinking bowl. Drinking such a decoction in the first days of the chicks' life has a beneficial effect on their body.

On days 5-6, I add cottage cheese to the mash and, of course, feed for chickens. Introducing it into the diet gives ducklings the growth boost they need. It makes babies grow quickly and fully develop. I feed my babies often - 5-6 times a day.

The first week at night I take the ducks with their broods into the house into the kitchen, placing them in boxes. And then, when the ducklings get a little stronger, I move the friendly families into a wooden shed with a brick floor and a mesh door.

After two weeks, the grown ducklings are fed boiled potatoes, barley flour (sifted from the films) and a large amount of greens. I chop any greens that I can find on the farm: onions, lettuce, dandelion, young nettles, quinoa. I wash the tray feeders after each feeding, and in the evening I always scald them with boiling water.

It is necessary that ducklings always have enough water to drink. The drinking bowls are three-liter jars, upturned upside down into plastic herring jars. Water flows along the edges of the neck of the jar, and ducklings only drink from such a drinking bowl, and do not bathe in it. It’s good to add a slice of lemon to the water once a week (1 piece per 1 liter of water). First mash it with a spoon to release the juice, and then pour it into the drinking bowl before feeding. Let the ducklings enrich their bodies with vitamin C.

Closer, when the chicks grow up, I let them out with their hens to walk freely in front of the house. At this time, ducklings begin to fledge and shed fluff, so it is necessary to strengthen the diet with protein and calcium. I try to mix the mashes with fresh yogurt, whey, and add food chalk or calcium gluconate to them. If available, I boil small river fish and feed it along with the broth.

Other recommendations

In order for ducks to produce more eggs and not stop laying eggs, experienced poultry farmers advise the following:

During the productive period, you should not suddenly change the diet of the female or relocate her. This will cause stress, which may delay the onset of laying or reduce the number of eggs.
You can determine that white ducks are ready to lay eggs by the changed color of their beaks and paws. They turn bright orange.
Birds finish flying early in the morning. If you plan to hatch ducklings, in the cold season it is better to collect eggs at 5–6 o’clock in the morning. This will prevent hypothermia.
It is recommended to change the nest litter daily to prevent the eggs from becoming too dirty.
Do not be alarmed if the duck stops laying eggs during the molting period. This is a natural stage of feather change. After its completion, egg laying will begin again.
Heat negatively affects bird productivity. They should have the opportunity to cool down - a pond in the paddock, a large container of water in the pen.
Females need walks. Lack of movement leads to oviduct pathologies.

What does it eat?

Mallards are omnivores. These birds can only get food in shallow water, preferring to hunt off the coast with a depth of no more than 30-35 cm. The duck's beak has a tactile ability. Its upper part is covered with soft leather. Thanks to this, she looks for food under water. In the water, the bird pushes off with both paws and dives as deep as possible.

To get to food, the duck stands almost vertically. Moreover, only the upper “half” of the duck is immersed in the water, and the tail and paws stick out above the surface. Along with food, the duck swallows silt, dirt and large amounts of water. Therefore, the wide and flat yellow-green beak inside has many horny processes that work like a sieve. The duck pushes all the excess back out with its tongue.

In their natural habitat, mallards feed mainly on vegetation. A special delicacy for ducks is duckweed, which appears on stagnant bodies of water. However, they also readily feast on freshwater mollusks, toads, insects, mosquito larvae and fish eggs. At night, birds go out into the fields, where they eat plant food and grain.