How many eggs do ducks lay

But how many eggs do ducks lay? On average, a duck lays eggs per year. Exactly how many eggs they lay mainly depends on the breed. The least productive duck breeds lay around 60 eggs per year, while the most prolific breeds can lay up to In this article, we will take a look at the various breeds of duck and how many eggs they lay. We will also talk about how many eggs a duck needs to go broody and how often they lay.

Finally, we will talk about why ducks sometimes abandon their eggs. Ducks lay on average one egg every second day. For example, mallards lay only about 60 eggs per ear, while Khaki Campbells lay more than eggs per year.

A healthy duck can live up to 12 years , but they will lay fewer eggs as they get older. They are the most productive when they are from about one to four years old — after that, their egg production will gradually slow down until they stop laying entirely at around age seven to nine.

Compared to chickens, which usually stop laying eggs at age two or three, ducks are great egg-layers for the backyard. However, ducks are less ideal for industrial farming as they are messier and require more space than chickens. The table above shows that the Khaki Campbell duck lays the most eggs, averaging about large per year. This is 40 eggs more than the number two and three on the list.

There are other great layer breeds, however. Additional factors besides the pure number of eggs laid per year will need to be considered when deciding on a breed of duck, such as fertility and how good they are at foraging for their own food.

As with other types of poultry, some duck breeds are raised for meat, some for eggs and some to produce a balance of both. Good egg-laying duck breeds can out-lay chickens. The laying season for ducks is usually about 35 to 45 weeks long each year. Who to contact if you spot an injured or baby bird Read more advice about what to do if you find a bird that needs help. How green are you? See some of the ways you can get into green living.

Marshside This fantastic wetland site is located north of Southport town centre and has some of the best wildlife in the region. Lytchett Fields The reserve has seen more than thirty species of wading birds. Arne Heathland home to more than species. Get out, get busy and get wild! Fun factoids for all the family Find out more about the nature and wildlife outside your window. Where do ducks nest? Finding a nest spot They prefer to nest near water. Encouraging and deterring nesters Most people welcome ducks nesting in their garden.

Egg laying The female mallard builds a nest from leaves and grasses and lines it with down plucked from her breast. End of the pair bond The role of the male is almost over once the clutch is laid. Mallards and the law Wild birds and their nests are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England, Scotland and Wales, which includes that it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly in Scotland kill, injure or take any wild bird, or to take, damage or destroy or otherwise interfere with in Scotland its nest, eggs or young.

Mallard ducklings. Read more. Share this page Facebook Facebook Created with Sketch. It takes about 28 days for duckling eggs to hatch. Although it took her weeks to lay all the eggs for her nest, all the eggs will hatch within days. Eggs are usually not as viable after about 10 days, but there is some variance in that estimate. Once the ducklings hatch out, it takes almost 60 days to raise the clutch of ducklings.

After that, your duck will start laying again until winter hits. If you want to harvest your duck eggs to eat or sell, you will want your female ducks to lay eggs as frequently as possible. Usually, you can encourage them to lay daily by removing eggs from the nest every day. When eggs are removed from the nest, the female duck will continue to lay eggs because she is seeking to reach her desired number of eggs in a clutch.

When eggs are removed daily, ducks can lay as many as eggs in a year. Other conditions influence the continued daily laying of eggs. Many ducks will take a short break during the coldest parts of the year. Many duck breeds are prolific egg layers. Ducks lay their eggs in the early morning.

Often before or just after sunrise, your ducks will have laid their eggs. Early collection helps to prevent the eggs from getting dirty or cracked. If your ducks and chickens are housed together, the early collection will also help to prevent the chickens from tasting the eggs and developing the awful habit of egg eating.

Unlike chickens, ducks continue to lay eggs at high rates for as long as years. They take a few months longer to start laying but will continue far past when a hen is usually finished laying eggs. But, ducks continue frequent and daily egg-laying for several years. They take a little longer break in the winter than some of the cold-hardy chicken breeds.