Hi All,
I have 2 khaki campbell/mallard mix ducks...a male and female. They are from the same parents but from 2 different clutches; the male is 13 months old, and the female about 11 months old. I've had the male since he was 1 day old (born in April 2009) together with a female, who flew away in January 2010. I got the new female a couple weeks later.
My first female laid eggs regularly starting when she was about 5 months old. When I got the new female in late January, she laid eggs for about two weeks and then stopped. She wouldn't come out of the coop and acted like she was sitting on a clutch, but she was sitting on plain straw! I'd have to really prod her to come out, close the coop door, so that she'd stay out and get some air and eat. Around the end of March she began laying again, but that only lasted for a week or so...and I haven't had any eggs since. She's been acting weird, not coming out of the coop, not really eating, and just sitting on straw. When I get near her she hisses at me.
Can you tell me what's going on with her...and will she ever lay eggs again???
I'm confused about what I should do. Should I make her come out of the coop each day and close it up so she can't go back in? She has our whole yard and a nice little pond with fresh water...and I feed them appropriate duck pellets. There's plenty to forage and there's mud, too.
I've had mallards before and have never experienced this kind of behavior! I hope she's not sick....it doesn't seem like she is because when she is out of the coop she swims, grooms herself, eats, walks around the yard.
The other odd thing is that the ducks don't seem to be as interested in the pond as when I had the old female (and current male). the old pair used to hang out in the pond practically all day. Now with the new female, they don't really swim a lot. I often see them sitting under some brush in the back of the yard.
What's up with these ducks???!?!?!?!?
I'm puzzled.
Thanks,
justduckey