Domestic ducks are a terrific alternative to backyard chickens or an excellent supplemental food source for your flock. There are many benefits to including waterfowl into your brood of chickens, including healthy meal items, friendly companions, and easy to raise. No matter what your reason may be, having a pet duck can be fun, as well as having healthy eggs regularly.
Raising domestic ducks for eggs can be a terrific hobby. However, before you run out to your nearest hatchery, you should consider some elements. First, be sure to explore the many breed types, how often they will lay eggs, do ducks lay eggs all year round, and what external factors could inhibit egg production. Then, when you prepare for having domestic ducks, you will have a better chance of getting a steady supply of nutritious and flavorful eggs year-round.
How Often Do Ducks Lay Eggs?
Many people are familiar with chickens laying eggs each day, but how many eggs do ducks lay a day? The answer will vary from once per day to every second day, depending on the breed and external factors, such as age, time of year, stressors, and others.
Occasionally, you will have a duck that produces two eggs per day. This circumstance is not the norm, and it may happen only once or a few instances during their lifetime. If you have a duck that gives you two eggs per day, consider it a lovely bonus!
Domestic ducks differ from wild breeds in their laying habits. Many pet ducks can lay fresh eggs year-round, while you may wonder how often do wild ducks lay eggs? These feral counterparts, like mallards, lay eggs in a clutch beginning in March and ending in July.
This group of eggs a female lays in a breeding season will vary depending on the breed. So, how many eggs do ducks lay in a clutch? They can produce anywhere from three to twelve eggs in total.
If you have a domestic duck or want to add a pet duck to your flock, you can still get eggs virtually year-round with some considerations.
External Factors That Can Affect Domestic Duck Egg Production
Several external factors can have adverse effects on how many eggs a duck will lay. Although some elements are difficult to control, like the weather, you can mitigate others to help increase the number of times your pet duck will lay for you.
Breed
The breed of domestic duck has a direct impact on how many eggs you can expect per year. Some waterfowl will lay significant amounts of eggs year-round, while others will only produce an egg every second day or so, keeping the numbers lower. If you want a duck strictly for its egg-laying capabilities, opt for a breed known to produce high quantities.
Food Source
Essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals are critical for the growth and development of a waterfowl. Once your duck reaches maturity and begins to lay eggs, they will require a well-balanced diet to help them produce healthy eggs regularly. When egg production drops, supplementing a duck’s diet with some protein-rich snacks can help bring back your eggs.
Stress
Ducks and other birds who are the target of stress may stop laying eggs temporarily. You may not see them laying until they settle once again. Moving them from their home, constant predators, or even active drakes with aggressive mating habits can stress out your domestic duck. Keep your ducks safe and calm to avoid a break in egg production.
Age
How long do ducks lay eggs? Ducks have a productive egg cycle through their life that begins around six or seven months of age. Generally, domestic ducks will continue to lay eggs regularly until approximately six or seven years old. Their egg production will slow as they age, but they could still provide healthy eggs until around nine years old before they stop altogether.
How Often Do Ducks Lay Eggs in a Year?
So how do you gauge the number of eggs you will have from your pet ducks each year? If they have a quality food source, are within prime laying age, and are content with their home, it will depend highly on the breed.
Typically, a pet duck will provide eggs for 35 to 45 weeks each year, making them more prolific layers than backyard chickens. The number of eggs they lay per week will depend on the breed of domestic duck, the age, and its living conditions, such as diet. You can expect as little as one per week up to three, contingent on the type of waterfowl.
For comparison, we include some of the more popular domestic duck breeds and their average laying rates.
The Best Duck Breeds for Frequent Egg Production
Several types of duck breeds are ideal when you want to add prolific layers to your flock. Many of these waterfowl breeds will range in size and color, and their eggs will also be as diverse. Choosing ducks that will provide colorful eggs can give you an attractive array of options when you want to increase your yearly production.
When selecting a top-laying breed, it is best to choose Khaki Campbells, Buff Orpingtons, Welsh Harlequins, or Pekins. These ducks are popular for many reasons, one of them being their excellent egg statistics.
These top producers can provide upwards of 300 or more eggs per year, with only a short break of rest. As long as your ducks are healthy and the living conditions are ideal, your pet duck will have no problem laying eggs almost every day.
Khaki Campbells
Averaging around 340 medium-sized eggs yearly, Khaki Campbells provide a consistent and nutritious food source. They are a lightweight breed and do not take up much space. However, this breed can be nervous, so you want to keep their home and environment stable to avoid stressing them unnecessarily.
Buff Orpingtons
This docile breed is another terrific choice for providing upwards of 245 large eggs every year. Buff Orpington ducks are happy as part of any backyard flock or being residents of garden ponds. Averaging three to four eggs per week, you can count on this breed for year-round production.
Welsh Harlequins
Any bird lover looking for a duck breed that can provide anywhere from 250 to 300 eggs yearly will find it with Welsh Harlequins. Their large eggs are flavorful and nutritious even when they lay through the cold winter months.
Pekins
If you have been wondering how often perkin ducks lay eggs you will be happily surprised. This large breed of domestic duck can lay anywhere from 200 to 300 extra-large eggs every year. Pekins are heavy-weight ducks and make terrific sources for fresh eggs and meat. However, due to their exceptional size, they will require more space and food than smaller breeds.
Duck Breeds That Are Not Considered Optimum Layers
Alternatively, some domestic duck breeds do not provide an ample supply of eggs throughout the year. Therefore, if egg production is your top reason for adding ducks to your flock, you will want to skip over these breeds and find one that can produce more annually.
These ducks are still frequent in backyard flocks around the world, but not for their egg-laying capabilities.
Muscovy
If you want pet ducks that will give you a continuous resource, avoid choosing the Muscovy, as they will only average 180 eggs per year. They are a popular choice for many backyard flocks because of their demeanor but do not provide an ample supply of eggs.
Cayuga
The Cayuga duck can be a terrific backyard pet, but they are not high egg producers. They are considered dual-purpose due to their medium size, even though they will only lay approximately 100 to 150 eggs annually.
Mallard
While Mallard ducks are common in the wild and some backyard flocks, they do not produce the eggs that other breeds will. Averaging between 60 to 120 eggs per year, you are better off staying away from this breed as a source for eggs.
White Crested
As beautiful as the White Crested breed is, they are not terrific layers. Producing only 100 to 130 eggs each year, many flock owners choose this duck as a pet rather than for their laying ability.
What Time of Day Do Ducks Lay Eggs?
Ducks differ from chickens in the time of day that you can expect their eggs. While chickens can lay any time of the day, averaging between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, ducks choose the early morning hours. Generally, around the time the sun rises is when you will find duck eggs. Alternatively, some breeds may lay as early as 4:30 am or as late as 8:00 am.
This laying time can alter with the daylight hours in your area. Therefore, if you want to ensure steady egg production in the winter months, using a supplemental light in your coop will help mimic a natural sunrise and keep your ducks on schedule.
You want to give your pet duck privacy and space during these early morning hours, so they are not under stress during the time they lay their eggs. Additional stress can cause them to halt production and leave you without any eggs until they become settled.
Collecting and Storing Duck Eggs
If you want to avoid having the eggs stolen by predators, damaged, or eaten by your flock, the earlier you collect them, the better. Similar to chicken eggs, duck eggs do not need cold storage in a refrigerator when you first grab them. Each egg will have a protective membrane, called a bloom, on the shell that keeps out any harmful bacteria.
Fresh duck eggs can remain on your kitchen counter unwashed for several weeks. If you will not eat them in time, it is best to refrigerate them to keep them longer. You can store both washed and unwashed eggs in your fridge, but you should wash your eggs before eating.
If you have an abundance of eggs that you do not want to waste, you can safely freeze them. Duck eggs will need to be cracked open and placed into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. Once the ice cubes are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag for extended storage.
Frozen raw duck eggs are terrific for baking with or using in omelets or cream sauces later. With proper storage, you can have duck eggs any time of the year, even when your birds take a break.
Bedding Materials for Ducks
Ducks can get messy as they travel in and out of water and mud all day long. Like other birds, they will need a comfortable spot to lay their eggs where they feel safe, and the eggs are protected. Be prepared to change out their bedding more often than you would for backyard chickens.
Straw or hay are ideal materials for your domestic duck to settle down into their nesting area while they lay their eggs. Ducks do not roost as chickens do and are happy on the floor of the coop. Be sure to provide a safe space for your duck’s nesting area, and they will use it every day.
Occasionally, when ducks first begin to lay eggs, they may not be in the nest. It can take a little time for their instincts to help them realize when they are laying. If you have a wading pool in their run, you could find eggs in the water or even around your yard if they free-range regularly.
The Takeaway
Choosing domestic ducks for your flock can help increase the yearly egg production, depending on the breed you select. Extensive research will help you decide what elements are essential when beginning to build a regular laying schedule. Some bird owners will include dual-purpose waterfowl so you can use them for meat after their egg production has stopped.
Ducks help keep pests out of your yard and garden, as well as providing you with nutritious eggs. They are a terrific source of many vitamins and minerals which are essential to your diet. If they have a healthy, well-rounded food source and a safe environment, your pet duck will give you a terrific food source all year long.