Will ducks start laying in winter?

[KCNC06]

I think "winter" is a tricky. It seems like different people define winter differently. And it depends on where you live. In upstate NY, I grew up thinking Thanksgiving was in the winter. (We usually had snow by Halloween!) Now in NC, by the time Christmas passes I say we're well on our way to spring. Daffodils usually bloom by mid-late January.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

My early June babies from last year waited until the end of March, beginning of April to lay. I live at a decently high altitude in northern Vermont and I do not use artificial light. I kind of liked that they waited as I have this idea, with no evidence to support it, that it was good for their bodies to be able to mature for a longer period before taking on the stress of laying. I’m hoping that it will make them hardier long-term.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like that about Muscovy they haven’t been developed by humans so they have a natural maturing cycle. I do think it helps to keep them from having reproductive issues Mallard derived females can have because they are developed to mature fast and produce so many eggs in their life time. All my Muscovy females have been 8-9 months old before they started to lay.

 

[quackiemama]

My runners laid very consistently through their first winter last year but slowed way down in the spring and through the summer. They have picked up the pace again in the past couple of weeks since it has started to cool down a bit.

 

[FortCluck]

I'm glad I read this... Good information

 

[quackiemama]

This whole forum is full of good information and people!

 

[Mopsey and Flopsey]

This is Mopsey and FLopsey and I appreciate all of this info. I think I might stat checking for eggs. You guys are the best.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[brotherdust]

My runners were born in May and didn't start laying until December 1st. I provided artificial light for some weeks in November and they didn't start laying until I started adding cat food to their daily meals. I have two ducks and a drake. One of the ducks is a little bit "bent", so we've not gotten many eggs out of her; the ones we have have been very undersized. The OTHER duck, WOW. She's dropping LARGE eggs daily. She's a machine! Anyway, good luck!