Do Pekins use nesting boxes?

[PavoFowl]

Hello all!

I am a goose/ guinea/ pea owner, and guilt-bought two Pekin ducklings from my local TSC. (They were the LAST two, and looked so scared and lonely. I had to take them home.) They are now two to two and a half months old, and I (happily) ended up with a drake and hen. I raised them in a brooder and then a pen, and they now frolic around my fenced in yard 24/7. I would like to be able to gather the eggs when she begins laying, and she seems to be scratching around under my deck. They sleep in the pond, though. Is this where she will lay her eggs? It would be VERY hard to collect them from there, if so. Is there any way I can convince her to lay elsewhere? With a nesting box? Decoy eggs? Anything?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Seana

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello all!

I am a goose/ guinea/ pea owner, and guilt-bought two Pekin ducklings from my local TSC. (They were the LAST two, and looked so scared and lonely. I had to take them home.) They are now two to two and a half months old, and I (happily) ended up with a drake and hen. I raised them in a brooder and then a pen, and they now frolic around my fenced in yard 24/7. I would like to be able to gather the eggs when she begins laying, and she seems to be scratching around under my deck. They sleep in the pond, though. Is this where she will lay her eggs? It would be VERY hard to collect them from there, if so. Is there any way I can convince her to lay elsewhere? With a nesting box? Decoy eggs? Anything?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Seana

She needs to have a safe private spot preferably inside a duck house or where ever you can place some nice soft shaving or straw. or they will lay anywhere they like even in the pond. place some fake eggs in the nest to entice her to check it out, but at 2.5 months old you have a few months before she begins to lay.

 

[PavoFowl]

Okay, thank you @Miss Lydia ! I have heard varying responses as far as the age that they begin to lay. Some have said 3 months, some say one year. Seems pretty drastic to me, so it looks like I'll just have to wait and see when she starts.

My guineas prefer laying out in the pasture. Nothing like picking your horses' hooves and finding they stepped on an egg. The smell is terrible! They lay in the strangest places...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay, thank you @Miss Lydia ! I have heard varying responses as far as the age that they begin to lay. Some have said 3 months, some say one year. Seems pretty drastic to me, so it looks like I'll just have to wait and see when she starts.

My guineas prefer laying out in the pasture. Nothing like picking your horses' hooves and finding they stepped on an egg. The smell is terrible! They lay in the strangest places...

Most ducks begin laying around 5 months on. I'm surprised you can actually find an egg after the horse steps on it. lol

 

[PavoFowl]

Oh no, I don't find the actual egg! I find the horrific odor emanating from their hooves, after they've stepped on the egg.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh no, I don't find the actual egg! I find the horrific odor emanating from their hooves, after they've stepped on the egg.

Pretty stinky huh? lol