Can a six month old female Muskovy practice nesting behaviour?

[Castlemaid]

My two males and one female (yes, working on getting more females) share the coop at night with my chickens. Usually in the morning I find my six month old female Muskovy roosting with the chickens. This morning I was surprised to find her siting in a nesting box down at ground level. Usually when I open the coop door, the ducks are the first ones out, but she ignored me and the open door and busied herself picking up things she could reach without having to get up and dropping them inside the box around her. She finally got up and went outside when I reached in underneath her to look for chicken eggs.

My question is, is this nesting behaviour? Would a six month old hen start this behaviour in the middle of a Northern winter with about only 8 hours of daylight, or was this just something random.

Thanks!

 

[SolarDuck]

Yes it is nesting behavior, Muscovy hens usually start laying around 6 months old. The days have been getting a little longer lately and she could probably tell. One of my female muscovy just started laying recently and she is about rhe same age.

 

[Xouie]

It sounds like nesting. She may be practicing. I’ve seen scobie girls start early like that, though mine were fall hatch that matured in spring.

 

[KaleIAm]

My mallard derived breeds do that. They like to make big nests. I destroy their nests and take away their eggs everyday because I don't want them to go broody.

My experience is that ducks are surprisingly sensitive to increased daylight. When my ducks were younger one of my them would start laying again the day after winter solstice. Lol. Most of them started up again a few weeks later. I don't know how similar muscovy are in that regard.

 

[Castlemaid]

Thanks! I thought it was too early for her age and for the season, but I guess not! She hasn't laid any eggs yet, so I hope she starts soon.

 

[SolarDuck]

Thanks! I thought it was too early for her age and for the season, but I guess not! She hasn't laid any eggs yet, so I hope she starts soon.

Mine that started laying recently was a bit under 7 months when I got my first egg. She is the one in my profile pic