Brooding Rouen's?

[sekeyslaks]

Hello Everyone!

I have 3 Rouen's,one male and 2 females that live completely free-range on our lake,they are wild and only come up for food.One of our females has a habit of nesting several times in the year in different places in order to brood out chicks,but the predators always finish off her eggs before they can hatch!The female is very persistent,never gives up and I would love to see her ducklings,does anyone have a way to brood ducks outside without the predators getting them?

 

[farm316]

Hello Everyone!

I have 3 Rouen's,one male and 2 females that live completely free-range on our lake,they are wild and only come up for food.One of our females has a habit of nesting several times in the year in different places in order to brood out chicks,but the predators always finish off her eggs before they can hatch!The female is very persistent,never gives up and I would love to see her ducklings,does anyone have a way to brood ducks outside without the predators getting them?

Will they allow you to put them in a small coop?? Or are you not going to touch them?

 

[sekeyslaks]

Will they allow you to put them in a small coop?? Or are you not going to touch them?

farm316 They won't allow me to touch them let alone pick them up!

I would if I could though!and I don't have a coop to put them in,if they got along with the chickens I would put them in there but they hate each other!I was thinking maybe if I put a kind of nest over a spot she normally nests she would brood there?

 

[farm316]

good Idea! You could make a fake nest and maybe she might lay there…The only problem is that you don't have a pen…. Do you have like a backyard with fencing around the sides?

 

[sekeyslaks]

good Idea! You could make a fake nest and maybe she might lay there…The only problem is that you don't have a pen…. Do you have like a backyard with fencing around the sides?

No we don't we have a very large yard,the ducks occupy only the lake part

These are our ducks,the male with the top hat is dead though!I'll try to show you the lake too.....

above the lake in the picture is a fence where the female is currently nesting.on the lake they reside all the time.

 

[farm316]

You might have 2 males and one female.. Notice the 2 outside ducks in your pic they have the same yellow bill…

You might be able to get like a scare-crow like a human scare-crow that might scare way the predators… The duck would have to get used to the scare-crow but its worth the effort

 

[sekeyslaks]

You might have 2 males and one female.. Notice the 2 outside ducks in your pic they have the same yellow bill…

You might be able to get like a scare-crow like a human scare-crow that might scare way the predators… The duck would have to get used to the scare-crow but its worth the effort

No farm316 I have two females and one male,one of the males,the one on the left was killed and one of the females is not in the pic,I know what boys and girls look like!

I don't think a grim reaper would scare the predators,but I think I could keep them out,would a cat carrier work? since it has a small door and ample space inside for nesting?

 

[farm316]

No farm316 I have two females and one male,one of the males,the one on the left was killed and one of the females is not in the pic,I know what boys and girls look like!

I don't think a grim reaper would scare the predators,but I think I could keep them out,would a cat carrier work? since it has a small door and ample space inside for nesting?

Yes a cat carrier would probably work! The only question is, how do you convince her too get in… They also will leave the eggs 2-3 times a day to feed and bathe

 

[sekeyslaks]

Yes a cat carrier would probably work! The only question is, how do you convince her too get in… They also will leave the eggs 2-3 times a day to feed and bathe

I would only need to close it at night,when the predators come out,as for the convincing I think if I put it on one of her nests and put some of her eggs in there she will be lured there,maybe I can put leaves in there for her too!Does anyone else have any suggestions?Don't be shy please I love options!