At what age do ducks start laying eggs?

[Mar1ann3]

my 2 pekin ducks are 6 months old, beautiful and healthy. When shall I expect egg production from them and where do they lay eggs? Do I need to make a special nesting arrangement for them? Or will they use same nesting boxes as chickens?

 

[dan26552]

They should start anytime now. They'll lay eggs on the floor, they won't fly up to the chicken boxes.

 

[Sara Ranch]

My Pekins started laying at about 20 weeks old.

They currently sleep in my sunroom at night and free range all day.

I was "gifted" with an egg one morning. It was by the wall & I didn't see it when I took the duckies out and did morning chores. I found it when I came into the sunroom for the clean.

Since then, the roomie situation has changed some, and I added a sheet over some kennel fencing to keep my tiniest chicks from squeezing through the kennel fencing and wondering the room. (The chicks are in the intro mode for duckies and other small chicks in the sunroom.)

My girl(s) started going behind the sheet to lay the eggs. I wasn't seeing them in the open anymore. Then I would find them when I was doing my sunroom clean. But by then, the Imperial Guard (baby turkeys) would have found the almost daily egg & tried to eat it. The Imperial Guard is now housed with the other turkey flock. So every morning, after the duckies go outside, I peek between the sheet and the wall, and there is usually an egg!

This morning, it was a double blessing! First time ever!!

I have had one duck lay an egg (late afternoon) outside. There was commotion with the duckies and the chickens so I went over to investigate. It was probably a duck egg, since there were no girl chickens in the area. And another time, I didn't get the duckies inside when they wanted, and I found a broken an egg shell AND a sunny side up egg (uncooked).

The duckies should be moving to the duckie house this weekend. I will have a corner set up as a nest. Some sides, a top, and some privacy, so the girls can lay eggs inside. I will start off with one nest. I'll add a second nest if one of the girls goes broody.

I am doing the sand method in my duck house. So easy to clean up and you know duckies make back end messes! The sand will cushion the egg drop too. Right now, the eggs are landing on a ceramic tile floor and not breaking.

While Pekins lay "white" eggs, I have gotten two "beige" to "light brown" eggs. But I am totally sure that my Khaki's are boys, not girls. Since the girls are in their first month of laying, I figure there will be some misfires until their bodies adjust.

*** Chicken nesting boxes are probably too small. I learned that my girls like privacy when laying, lay late evening/during the night/early morning. They choose to go between the sheet and the wall, under the window sill. That's the tighest but most private spot for them right now.

*** How much protein do your girls get in their feed? I do fermented feed (which increases the amount of absorbable nutrients from the feed) and I use 22% protein feed, when I can get it. Not sure how much the fermenting process raises the usable protein, but it does. If 22% is not available, then I go to 18% protein. Ducks need a LOT of protein.

*** Have you looked for hidden nests? Have you talked to your duckies about laying eggs and put in requests for where they should be? Sounds silly, but I did/do. And I thank my duckies for the eggs daily. Your girls might be dropping shell less eggs, hiding the eggs, or not producing eggs due to low protein/incorrect nutrition.

 

[Mar1ann3]

They get worms, sunflower seeds, flax and kitchen scraps once a day and they free range all day long. I've not seen any eggs yet, and they sleep together with my chickens since the day I brought them home which were 2 days old. I'm looking forward to their eggs. Loved your story

 

[littledeer]

We have a family of hens/black sexlinks. This is the 3rd year. They are spoiled, some like to be held. Great layers. They free range all over. We added to the flock 4baby ducks/peckin. They have been sick a delight! They are about 3months old and stay very close to home. I've heard this is about the timethey should start laying but nothing yet. So excited!

 

[Lil Drake40]

About 5 months is the norm.