Some duck breeds mature faster and start laying eggs at an early age. By the time a duckling is about four months old, you should easily tell if it’s a female or male. Unless you closely observe the female, you might not easily tell if she is about to start laying.
They like lying in hidden places and might camouflage in muddy places. Egg production in ducks can be affected by population. If you put too many ducks in one place, they might become stressed and lay fewer eggs. To get better egg production, do not exceed 250 ducks per group.
What age do ducks start laying eggs?
Some females start laying eggs earlier while others might delay by a month or slightly above a month. By the time a duck is about 6 to 7 months old, it’s ready to begin laying eggs and you should closely monitor where it will nest.
A duck may attain 6 to 7 months and still not start to lay eggs. It might be because of the season. If it matures during winter, they might delay egg production until spring when it’s warmer.
How many eggs can a duck lay in a day?
On very rare occasions, a duck may lay two eggs in a day. This is normal although it’s also a very rare occurrence. Normally, a duck will lay one egg every twenty-four hours. Some breeds however lay one egg every 48 hours and the other every 36 hours or a day and a half. The important thing is to know what breed your ducks are and how often that breed lays eggs.
How many eggs do ducks lay a year?
Several factors affect how often a duck lays eggs. The main factor is duck breeding with some breeds laying daily and others once every two days. Once a duck starts laying at the age of between 21 to 30 weeks, they can continue laying for the next 35 – 45 weeks. If it’s the breed that lays daily, it will lay between 245 to 315 eggs per year. The breeds that lay once every two days will lay a maximum of 180 eggs per year.
Which ducks lay the most eggs
Each unique breed produces different egg quantities per annum. Breeds such as Pekin lay big eggs but fewer times. Runners produce very beautiful eggs – blueish- green but they too lay fewer eggs per annum. The duck breed with the most eggs is the Campbell also known as khaki. The birds have a smaller body and lay smaller eggs but they are the best for commercial egg production. In a single year, they can produce up to 340 eggs.
Best ducks for eggs
There are about 6 duck breeds that are the best to breed if you want higher egg production. Top of the list is Campbell which can survive in most climates and produces up to 340 eggs per year. The Runner is next with a production rate of 300 eggs per year. Next is the Buff at 200 eggs per annum and the Welsh Harlequin at 300 eggs every year. Magpie is the next at 290 eggs each year and the dual purpose Ancona produces up to 240 eggs per year.
How to care for duck eggs
Collect duck eggs daily when they are still fresh. Most ducks lay eggs between 4 am to 7 am which means you should start to collect them before 8 am. Do not wash them but keep them in a place with fresh air. After they are freshly laid, the eggs can be stored at room temperature for up to one month and after that, they must be kept in a fridge. Keep them in a container or bowl and lay a soft cloth inside.
Do ducks lay eggs
Ducks start to lay eggs when they are 6-7 months old and might continue to lay for the next 9 months or more. Before it starts to lay, it builds a nest using grass and leaves and overlays it with her breast feathers. They lay their eggs in batches of 20 and sit on them to hatch.
Do ducks lay eggs all year round
Some breeds are excellent layers and can consistently lay eggs up to 345 days in a year. Other breeds will lay up to 240 days and others 180 days in a year. However, other factors might affect egg production.
Ducks require between 14 to 16 hours of light daily to effectively lay eggs. In times when the days are shorter, they might stop laying eggs. Their egg production also might slow down during winter or if you keep too many of them in one place.
How often do ducks lay eggs?
When all conditions are right, that is, they are in the right population, have enough light, and are feeding well, a duck should lay an egg daily. Not all breeds lay daily though. The Campbell breed lays daily while the Black Runner might lay once every 2 days.
Keeping ducks for eggs
Ducks are social birds and they should be kept in a group of at least six birds and a maximum of 250 birds. If you strictly want ducks for eggs, research first the breeds that will give you maximum egg production. Some of the best breeds you might choose are the Pekin, Campbell, Ancona, and Indian Runners.
F.Q.A
When do Pekin ducks start laying eggs
To get maximum egg production, Pekin ducks should be housed in a group of 250 birds. They grow fast and start to lay eggs when they are about 26 to 28 weeks old. Once they begin to lay eggs, production continues for the next 40 weeks.
How often do domestic ducks lay eggs
Most domesticated ducks begin to produce eggs in spring and continue laying for most part of the year. Once production begins, ducks lay eggs consistently until they lay about 20 eggs. Some darks at that point will sit on their eggs to hatch while others might stop briefly and begin to lay again later. If the eggs hatch, there will be another period for bringing up the ducklings before she starts to lay again.
