do ducks need a "nesting" box like hens like?

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mjclark

mjclark

Hatching
11 Years
Mar 31, 2008
8
0
7
Hi,
I'm new to "ducking"

I have hens and they know were to go to lay thier eggs-in their box.

Do ducks need a spot to lay eggs? do they prefer to lay in one spot or drop thier eggs anywhere.
We had on lay and found it out in the open. Is this normal?
I have 4 ducks: Indian Runner and a Welsh Harlequin.

Thanks for any advice.
Monica
 
I'm glad you asked this. I have a duck that just started laying and she's just been laying them on the floor of the coop. I stepped on one today! I was so mad at myself. I couldn't see it in the pine shavings.
 
I latch my Khakis in their little duck house each night. In the morning I usually find their eggs clustered in one corner. I don't know how they decide which corner they'll be using, it changes from night to night. The floor is mulch over dirt and they just lay them in a little hollow they make in the floor. I have to be sure to dig down to get them all, some times a few will be buried.
 
Mine stopped going into their little duck house when it got cold. They're happier in the chicken coop. The one that is laying doesn't always lay in the same place. I'm going to try putting some hay in the area that seems to have an egg most often (there have only been 5 so far). I let you know what happens!
 
Quote:
Do they go in by themselves or do you have to herd them in?
Monica
 
I latch my Khakis in their little duck house each night. In the morning I usually find their eggs clustered in one corner.

Mine lay in the exact same spot every morning. The khaki started laying first and she picked "the spot". Now all 3 girls lay their eggs in that same place. Sometimes they bury them in the shavings, other times they are on top, but it is always in the same spot.

Do they go in by themselves or do you have to herd them in?

If it is cold, they put themselves to bed. If it is nice out, they need a little herding. Sometimes just saying "time for bed" gets them going
big_smile.png
 
My mother trained mine to go to bed when she told them it was time. It's pouring out today and my duck already laid her egg so I am going to set up a little straw nest when I lock them up to see if she will use it. My Blue Swedish is hiding under the coop out of the rain. I'll have to look under to see if she laid an egg under there or not. I don't know what color to expect from her.
 
I have a nest box for mine, but they don't use it very often. I say not very often because sometimes they do. I have 3 that lay. Usually two of them will lay their eggs together in a nest and the other one will lay an egg in a different nest. This will go on for two or three days and I'll know just where to look. Then all of a sudden, I can't find any eggs and they have all changed spots. Sometimes I find eggs out in the middle of the floor, sometimes under things, sometimes buried in the bedding. They have even been known to move the hay around all by themselves and create nests somewhere completely new. I guess if it makes you feel better to have a nest box for them go ahead, but mine just keep changing spots anyway. Good luck with your egg hunting.
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