Quack head
Songster
I am in Central Tennessee and my Appleyard duck is on a nest. Normally when I open the Duck House in the morning the ducks are ready to come out. They quack and jump and flap their wings. This morning it was quiet in the house and when I opened the door nothing. They didn't come out as their normal selves. I looked and the duck was sitting on the nest with the drake standing by. The pair is about 9 months old.
The duck has been laying about five eggs a week for two a month which we have been enjoying. I placed two ceramic eggs in the next 45 days ago to encourage laying in one spot. The duck is sitting on the ceramic eggs and after she left the nest I checked and only the ceramic eggs were in the nest. She has been on and off the next all day. The drake is swimming around our pond (free range) and every now and then wanders up and checks on the duck.
Finely to the questions:
If the duck getting ready to lay eggs and become brooding?
Should I become worried about winter and the ducklings?
Should I remove the ducklings when hatched and put under a heat lamp if for nothing else predator protection.
Help!
The duck has been laying about five eggs a week for two a month which we have been enjoying. I placed two ceramic eggs in the next 45 days ago to encourage laying in one spot. The duck is sitting on the ceramic eggs and after she left the nest I checked and only the ceramic eggs were in the nest. She has been on and off the next all day. The drake is swimming around our pond (free range) and every now and then wanders up and checks on the duck.
Finely to the questions:
If the duck getting ready to lay eggs and become brooding?
Should I become worried about winter and the ducklings?
Should I remove the ducklings when hatched and put under a heat lamp if for nothing else predator protection.
Help!
