Signs That a Duck Is About to Lay Eggs and Methods to Increase Egg Production

There are several options for raising ducks: meat ducks, dual-purpose meat-and-egg ducks, and laying ducks. When raised as laying ducks, egg production and egg quality affect the profitability of farmers. So how can you usually tell that a duck is about to lay eggs? What methods are there to make it lay more eggs?

1. Basic facts about laying ducks

1. Laying ducks are female ducks from the start of laying until culling, with a service life of about 350 days, and as they age, the production performance of laying ducks gradually declines.

2. Compared with younger ducks, laying ducks carry a much greater burden. They are less afraid of strangers, have a large feed intake and good appetite, are docile in temperament, and like to stay alone away from the flock, resting quietly.

3. The price of Daya ducklings varies depending on breed, place of origin, and so on. For example, in Weifang, Shandong, the price of green-shell laying ducks: buying 1000-1999 costs 4 yuan/bird, buying 2000-4999 costs 3.8 yuan/bird, and buying more than 5000 costs 3.5 yuan/bird; in Hengyang, Hunan, the price of laying duck ducklings: buying more than 500 costs 4.8 yuan/bird, and buying more than 1000 costs 4.6 yuan/bird; in Linyi, Shandong, the price of Jinding duck ducklings: buying 1000-1999 costs 3.8 yuan/bird, buying 2000-5999 costs 3.5 yuan/bird, and buying more than 6000 costs 3.2 yuan/bird.

2. How can you tell that a duck is about to lay eggs?

Under normal circumstances, ducks lay eggs in the deep night at 1-2 a.m. At this time, the night is quiet and there is no disturbance, which is the most suitable time for laying ducks to lay eggs. But how can you tell that a duck is about to lay eggs?

1. When a duck is about to lay eggs, its wings will droop, its movements will be weak, and the duck will sit in the nest without moving, not getting up until the egg has been laid.

2. Because ducks like to lay eggs in the deep night, during their laying period there should not be sudden lighting or noise. Daily raising should also remain stable, without disturbances, to avoid frightening the flock and thereby affecting production.

3. What methods are there to make laying ducks lay more eggs?

The profitability of laying duck farming is related to egg production and duck egg quality, so how to make laying ducks lay more eggs is very important. The methods are introduced below:

1. Keep more drakes

Keep an appropriate number of extra drakes in the duck flock, generally increasing the normal male-to-female ratio by another 2%-3%. The sexual stimulation of drakes toward female ducks can make female ducks ovulate faster, thereby enabling them to lay more eggs.

2. Let laying ducks drink tea water

Tea water can prevent nutritional anemia and salt poisoning in laying ducks. Give the ducks an appropriate amount of tea water every morning, noon, and evening. In summer, it can relieve heat, keep the ducks from getting sick as often, and help them lay more eggs.

3. Feed laying ducks honey and rice

When the ducks begin laying, add 1 kg of honey to 50 kg of feed, mix it in, and feed it for 5 consecutive days. After an interval of 15 days, feed it for another 5 consecutive days. Feeding in this cycle can make the ducks lay more eggs, and the eggs laid will be large. This method also has a certain effect on preventing duck plague. In addition, during the laying period, feed the ducks some rice grain or dried rice grains and let them eat freely, which can keep the ducks from getting sick as often and help them lay more eggs.

4. Feed laying ducks animal-based feed

Let the ducks often forage freely in fields, ditches, ponds, and other places for small fish, small shrimp, tadpoles, insects, river snails, and so on. During the laying period, reduce grazing and feed some animal-based feed such as fish meal and green feed rich in multiple vitamins, so as to meet their nutritional needs and help the ducks lay more eggs.

The above is all the content introduced by the Tuliu website editor. I hope it can be helpful to you.