How Many Eggs Do Ducks Lay?

The short answer: it depends on the breed

Ducks were bred for two very different jobs, eggs and meat, and the egg count follows that split. Extension material from the University of Kentucky names the Campbell and the Runner as the breeds developed for egg production, and says some of these laying breeds can out-lay many chicken breeds over a year. Commercial laying ducks are quoted at 300 to 350 eggs a year, against roughly 250 for commercial laying hens.

Those are the top of the range, not an average for every backyard duck. A Runner typically lays about four eggs a week for about eight months, which works out to somewhere around 130 to 140 eggs, while some utility strains have passed 300 in a year. So a realistic plan for a mixed backyard flock is a wide range per duck, with your breed choice deciding where in that range you land.

Laying breeds versus meat and dual-purpose breeds

The Campbell is the classic laying duck. Kentucky's breed guide says Campbells seldom go broody, because broodiness was traded away for a high level of egg production, and that they mature at around six months. Runners are the other specialist layer, upright and active, and the darker varieties lay a blue-tinted egg. If eggs are the main reason you keep ducks, these two are where most keepers start.

Heavier breeds lay less. The same guide describes Pekin hens as laying fairly large numbers of white eggs, but Pekins are mainly a meat breed. A Rouen hen can lay an egg every other day during the breeding season, a seasonal pattern rather than a year-round one. The Welsh Harlequin sits between the two and is described as a prolific producer of white or tinted eggs.

Daylight and the laying season

Ducks, like chickens, lay in response to day length. A University of Maryland Extension answer explains that egg production rises as days lengthen from January to June and falls as they shorten from July to December. That is why many backyard ducks slow down or stop in late fall and winter, then pick up again in early spring without anything else changing.

The same answer describes how some keepers extend laying with added light: a laying duck does best on about 17 total hours of light a day, built up gradually, starting with about one extra hour and adding around 45 minutes a week. Whether you light your ducks is your choice. Many backyard keepers let the flock rest through winter instead, which matches the birds' natural cycle.

Age: when laying starts and how it changes

Most domestic ducks start laying somewhere around four to six months of age. Maryland Extension puts Runners at about four to five months and a Pekin-type cross at around six months, and our guide on when ducks start laying eggs covers that first-egg question in more detail, including why short days can delay it.

Once a duck is laying, her first full season is usually her most productive. Output generally tapers in later years, and a duck that has slowed down is not necessarily unwell. A sudden stop in a young bird in spring, though, is worth a closer look at her diet, housing and health, because something other than age may be the cause.

Feed, calcium and water

A laying duck turns a lot of nutrients into shell and yolk. Kentucky's guide to feeding ducks for egg production sets out layer rations with around 17 to 18 percent crude protein and about 3 percent calcium, much higher calcium than a growing duck needs. A proper layer ration, rather than scraps, bread or grower feed, is one of the simplest ways to protect both the egg count and the shells.

Give clean water at all times in a container deep enough for ducks to dip their bills, and refresh it often, since ducks muddy it quickly. Keep feed dry and fresh. Thin shells, soft shells or a sharp drop in eggs can point to a ration problem, so check the feed before assuming anything else is wrong.

Housing that helps ducks keep laying

Ducks usually lay early in the morning, often on the floor in a quiet corner rather than in a raised nest box, so keeping them shut in until mid-morning means you find the eggs instead of hunting the yard. A dry, well-ventilated duck house with a low entrance and a ramp suits how they move, and deep, clean bedding gives them somewhere to make a nest. Our guide to choosing a duck house goes through size and ventilation.

Look for floor-level access and an easy way to reach the eggs. A coop with an opening roof, such as a duck coop with an openable roof, lets you collect from above, and a wooden duck coop with a removable floor and ramp makes cleaning the bedding simpler. Predators are a real cause of lost eggs and birds, so pair the house with a secure chicken run that also works for ducks.

When fewer eggs mean a vet visit

A gradual slowdown in fall, during molt or with age is normal. Call a veterinarian who treats poultry if a duck stops laying suddenly in the season and also seems dull, stops eating, strains repeatedly, or has a swollen or wet vent. Those signs mean something may be wrong, and a duck that is straining without passing an egg needs help quickly.

Shell-less eggs from several birds at once, a sudden drop across the whole flock, or diarrhea alongside fewer eggs are also reasons to get advice rather than wait. Collect eggs daily, note how many you get each week, and you will spot a real change early. You can browse our duck houses when you are setting up or upgrading their home.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace advice from a veterinarian who treats poultry.