Considering getting ducks: do they lay year round or cyclical?

Owl
Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

I would need them to lay mostly year round but I’m in Alabama where it stays fairly warm. I would also like to know if they go in the coop to lay or hide their eggs on the ground?

Comments

  • dimck421
    dimck421 Posts: 203 ✭✭✭

    My experience has been that they lay pretty much year round, almost every day. Mine are not particular at all about where they lay an egg...in the snow, in mud, in weeds, in their coop, in...it is like an Easter egg hunt. To compare weather, I am in Virginia Piedmont. Due to predator pressure, though they free range, I move them about, using an electric fence and coop them at night, for their safety. While chickens are great at tilling, ducks make various holes in the ground. Chickens stir their fertilizer in, while ducks stomp it into the earth, so I move them quite often.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    My ducks lay seasonally. I have muscovy, indian runner & call ducks. The muscovies will lay 30 eggs to a nest, 3 times in the season for me. My runners laid well this year. I let them hatch out a few nests, but we had many to eat as well. My calls lay little eggs and they can cary from laying in early March-June (maybe only 10-15 eggs) or periodically through August.

    My runners just dropped eggs anywhere until they wanted to be broody. Then they built nests. They will hiss & strike (eventually) to protect nests. My muscovies liked to hide in or out of a coop, but would sit on an open nest of their own choosing in the coop as well. These can break a sturdy stick if they are broody & are protecting it. They would break fingers. The calls like to hide & used the boxes we gave them. These do better with dedicated boxes. They can also hurt fingers, but won't break them. ;)

    I will look for a comparison chart for you. It will give you an idea of breeds, however ducks from various places, both breeder & hatchery, will vary on their rate of lay. Hatchery stock may not be pure if that is an issue, and most will not retain their broody traits. Ones that are less broody will in theory give you more eggs and that's what hatchery stock will most likely give you.

    You may also want to consider egg color. I would love to find some pure cayuga or indies ducks. All the ones around here lay only a lighter grey at their darkest and are from a local hatchery. None here are of good enough quality to start anywhere close to the black eggshells that they are known for. My runners gave green, blue & off white. The calls had beautiful peewee sized blue eggs.

    I would probably steer you more toward Khaki Campbell Silver Appleyard or Welsh Harlequin if you want an abundance of eggs.

    Just in case you do not know, a drake is only necessary if you want ducklings. ;)


  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for such detailed answers! I think I’ve decided that ducks are not in my immediate future. I injure myself enough without help from the critters.

    Have you tried McMurrayhatchery.com for the breeds you want? I’m very pleased with my heritage chicks I bought there in the spring.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    It is popular. For me to buy anything from the US would be a hassle and the quality and service from the popular hatchery in our province is quite poor.

    I tend to buy from breeders whenever possible. I like to know that I can expect certain traits.

  • erikawinterton
    erikawinterton Posts: 98 ✭✭✭

    I just saw that TNG released a new article relating to ducks over chickens. Check the recent articles or newsletter.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @erikawinterton That is interesting. Some people are in the chickens only camp, some in the ducks only camp. There are benefits & drawbacks to both. I think it just depends on your needs, what you can provide for them, and what you are willing to deal with.

    I personally like to have both around. 😁

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    I used to have ducks & geese 30 years ago but I’m older and grouchier and having to fight for the eggs and aggressive behaviors out of the drakes just doesn’t sound like a good time anymore. I do have an intolerance to chicken eggs and that hurts because I LOVE eggs. I want to try duck eggs and see if they cause the same uptick in my neuropathy but there’s no one around here that keeps them, that I can find.

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    Cool! Thank you LaurieLovesLearning! I really, really want to get ducks and geese sometime soon! I just need to master the chickens first! Who, btw are doing great!

  • marcy_northlightsfarm
    marcy_northlightsfarm Posts: 103 ✭✭✭

    I raised Pekin ducks for a while. What I liked is that they layed eggs all winter long. Like most duck breeds they lay in the morning. That means you can keep them in the coop until late morning and all the eggs get laid where you can find them. Chickens on the other hand usually aren't so regular and on my farm that means some eggs would get hidden!

    What I didn't like about ducks was how they stick their beaks in the water and shake, throwing a spray of water all over. In the winter it made an icy mess. Not the worst thing in the world because at least they made up for it in eggs. The eggs are mighty tasty and sought out for baking.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @marcy_northlightsfarm They do make an icy mess!

    I am assuming they shake their heads all over like that in part to help clear their nares (nostrils) of any particles & water.

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    We actually considered getting ducks because they tend to handle cold, wet weather well and we are in Colorado. We decided to get some duck eggs from a local farmer beforehand, though, just to make sure we liked the way they tasted. No one in my family did, and we've got some omnivores who will eat a lot of different foods. So that decided it for us -- no ducks in our flock. Those eggs were definitely richer than chicken eggs, though, so I imagine they'd be good for baking at the very least....

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @Merin Porter They are excellent for baking!

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning @Lauri What kind of difference do you notice in the end results (if any) when you use them versus when you use chicken eggs for baking? I'm totally curious.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    We haven't noticed any great difference, but some people claim that it helps breads and such rise better (loft is the word that was used) and supposedly improves cakes, making them higher as well.