Should I be concerned?

[accio! chickens]

I got my Buff Orp ducklings on May 1st 2009, they have come and gone for their 5 months and the EE chicks I bought at the same time have started laying. My Buff Orps? Nope. Not a single egg. They're on Layena and have been free ranging daily recently. They never go into the forest, but hang around the house and gardens ranging.

Should I be concerned they're not laying?

And, one more thing... My mum says the other week one of our Buff orps was hanging out in a puddle in the walkway and one of the others came along and mounted her! Eh? I bought all ducks but I realize sexing isn't always correct, but no one has the manly colouring and aside from this one time, nothing else has happened to suggest the one duck is actually a drake.

Sigh, no duck eggs for me.

 

[CityChicker]

On the egg laying issue, at 5 months you should not be worried at all. That is well within what is normal. My bantams start younger, but my full size ducks tend to start between about 5-7 months old. The length of daylight and time of year makes a difference too. They may not start laying until Spring at this point.

As far as the bird mounting the other, that is completely normal too whether or not the birds are the same gender.

 

[Goat_Walker]

My buff gal started laying at 6 months - MONSTER green eggs.

As for the mounting, Its a dominance thing. When i had one drake ( who didnt do his job) my gals would mount each other all the time and go through the actions of a drake.

 

[accio! chickens]

Hmm.. interesting... green eggs?

I don't even know what colour eggs Buff orps lay lol I just thought they were pretty

 

[Goat_Walker]

Yep. My Buff layed extra large green eggs. All three of her mallard x daughters also lay green eggs - though not as big.

 

[accio! chickens]

Hmm .. cool

 

[accio! chickens]

These are my ladies

 

[Goat_Walker]

Ohhh!!!!! SO pretty! Here is my best girl - R.I.P. -

Then this is her in the front and her four daughters in the back

 

[pardygwyn]

Can't say that I've ever seen anything quite like the paint job on the baby behind mama. The dilution makes her look like she's got reverse facial striping!