Does anyones ducks ever consistantly use nesting boxes?

[Birdcrazy]

I made a nest down the bottom of the coop for my scovie, but as soon as we started taking her eggs she went up the chicken ramp to lay with the chickens. She'd spend ages cleaning and preparing the one nest box they all use and the chickens couldnt wait any longer to lay their own eggs so they'd lay them where ever, on the group in the coop, on the boards, outside. Became really annoying

I needed to get fake eggs at that point to keep her laying where she was supposed to

 

[Bleenie]

Mine use them without fail! Everytime one has went broody it has been in a nesting box too. I have some special made for my muscovies and they love those but there's a few that prefer the open top chicken nesting boxes that are up higher on the wall.. My blue Pied hen, Shakers, just went broody for her second time this year in the same chicken box. I think the chickens need a new coop, lol.

 

[WadeMD]

I just cleaned out my pond (I have to do that every 2-3 weeks) and found 3 eggs in the bottom of it. Stupid Runners just drop them wherever the urge hits them. I fear I am losing lots of eggs so I have started locking them in their hut at night and waiting til later in the morning to let them out so they lay inside. of course, they get completely mired in poo when laid, but at least they are recoverable.

 

[Amiga]

WadeMD,

Do you have a straw filled nest box with a wooden egg in it? It may just be happenstance, but when I set that up, all but a very few (six out of forty) have been laid in the nest, where they are much cleaner.

 

[gryeyes]

My Cayuga just started laying this past Sunday. Her first egg was in the middle of the run.

But she made a little nest under the rose bush at the corner of my back porch and laid her second egg there. It was so cute to see her gathering dried grass and weeds to cover the egg. (Which I removed, once she wandered off to range in the front yard. Doesn't appear to be broody at all, except for the nest building bit.)

When I got home from work last night, there were TWO eggs in her nest, and some more dried grass. I took both eggs.

I'm wondering if I should provide her with some sort of box as a nest, right in the same spot, or just keep an eye on the straw-littered depression she's built?

 

[WadeMD]

I have straw in their nesting area, but they have ignored my attempts at creating boxes. Are yours open or closed top? Part of my problem is that the larger ducks haven't started laying yet - only the Chocolate Runners (not the F&W either, although I cannot tell if the black runners are or not, eggs are all blue-green). once the Cayuga and 2 Swedish start up, they have shown more interest in the nesting areas.

How did you design your boxes?