When to put out a nest?

PowellAnimals · Oct 17, 2015

I have two 17 week old ducks (Cayuga and Pekin) and one 15 week old duck (Swedish). The Cayuga has been posturing over the last week and the others have made no signs that they are maturing. When should I put a nest out in the coop for them? I have chicken nests but they are too high for the ducks to get into. The flock free ranges so I want to make sure they lay in the nest and not in random outside spots so I want to show them a suitable nest but I also don't want birds sleeping and pooping in it for weeks before they start laying.

Miss Lydia · Oct 17, 2015

A nest box for a duck really isn't necessary as long as they have fluffy bedding to dig down into they make their own nests.

I have used a piece of scrap ply wood and laid it up along side the inside wall screwed it in place so it doesn't fall on them and they have used this too. Like half a tee pee. Just for a little privacy. Once they begin to lay either keep an egg in their or get some fakes so they get use to seeing the egg in the nest that will give the idea This is where to lay, or if you do find any outside place them inside where you want them to lay this also helps because when they first start to lay sometime the egg will slip right out before they know it and land where ever they may be. Ducks usually lay early morning before day light so letting them out a little later will help get them use to laying inside too.

When to put out a nest?

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PowellAnimals

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Miss Lydia

~Gift of God ~ Eternal Life ~John 3:16-17

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