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Underperforming ducks
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chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:19 pm    Post subject: Underperforming ducks Reply with quote
    

Any advice about ramping up my duck-egg production? I'm getting an average of three eggs a day from half a dozen mature female KCs in their first season of lay and I'm starting to seriously mutter to them about duck a l'orange when I let them out in the morning.

They have access to plenty of fresh water and are being fed on ad-lib layers pellets, no grain.

Andrea



Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well yours are laying 3 eggs a day more than mine are. Congratulations.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    



I feel slightly better. But not a great deal

I was wondering about simmered barley; or perhaps cut the layers with breeders for a couple of weeks to get them back in to lay.

Andrea



Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm sure they'd be delicious with simmered barley.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Do I detect a very, very tiny amount of frustration?

Andrea



Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    



I'm waiting for a break in the monotonous round of vegetarian wwoofers so I can eat them and be done with it.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've got a waiting list for duck eggs - I literally can't get them to squeeze them out fast enough, even when they are in full production. It's very frustrating

katie



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have the same problem. I'm only getting 1 or two a day and every time I manage to fill a box, it's gone in minutes. Dunno really.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Surely the answer is simple, 3 eggs from 6 duck, 5 eggs from 10 ducks, 10 eggs from 20 ducks........
How many eggs a day do you need and go from there

katie



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I don't think that sort of arithmetic pleases the bank manager!

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

To be honest I was thinking of excuses for chez to take of the sensible hat....

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Are the khakis show strain or laying strain? It makes a huge difference.

I'm picking up some more of those Kortlang Campbells this month. I've actually ordered twenty POLs at nine quid each. The last lot that I had at the begiining of the year are laying machines. They're advertised as being a 340 egg strain and nothing that I've seen so far, leads me to disbelieve the claim.
I don't know what you're feeding them but they need a lot of protein. I once read somewhere, that if you can feed some fish to your ducks in some form, then you'll never be short of eggs.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think that's what I need to try, Bodger - I was thinking that feeding a percentage of breeders pellets would help. Can you still get fishmeal and are you allowed to feed it? I guess it's either that or rolled peas.

They certainly weren't sold to me as 'show' strain; but they're not Kortlangs, either, I don't think.

Do ducks have the same 'little drop' that hens have mid-summer?

TTouch Homestead



Joined: 13 Oct 2011
Posts: 703
Location: Cardigan, West Wales
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Mine are not on top form either. Getting 2-3eggs a day from 6 ducks. They have just completed a moult though so that might be it. Mine get layers and some wheat, with lots of slugs, greens and some comfrey...

T.G



Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 7280
Location: Somewhere you're not
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 12 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bodger wrote:
Are the khakis show strain or laying strain? It makes a huge difference.

I'm picking up some more of those Kortlang Campbells this month. I've actually ordered twenty POLs at nine quid each. The last lot that I had at the begiining of the year are laying machines. They're advertised as being a 340 egg strain and nothing that I've seen so far, leads me to disbelieve the claim.
I don't know what you're feeding them but they need a lot of protein. I once read somewhere, that if you can feed some fish to your ducks in some form, then you'll never be short of eggs.


Thats a cracking price for a POL duck, especially if they hit anywhere near 340

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