Doghouse as nesting spot?

[duckking]

We have 3 mallard hens, and a Rouen Drake and hen sharing a duck house that is about 20-25 square feet. At least one hen keeps building a nest in there, but it's destroyed by the next morning. We bought a medium sized dog house in the hopes that maybe they will be tempted to nest in there instead. They only spend the night in the duck house, otherwise they are outside. Is there anything I could do to tempt them to nest there rather than the duck house? We are building an aviary adjacent to their run this spring, but in the meantime, they share a pretty open run with 4 chickens as well. The chickens have their own coop. The chickens lay in their nest boxes.

Any tricks you could suggest so they get the picture? Thanks in advance.

 

[duckyfromoz]

You could make it nice inside by filling it with hay to temp them in. Also try using some fake eggs in the hope they catch onto the idea. My ducks will lay before I let them out in the morning - if yours are the same can you leave the laying ducks in the dog house overnight for a few nights so they have to lay in there?

 

[OzawkieBantams]

I use old dog houses for all my birds. I see no need in them going to waste.
Try useing golf balls. I have noticed that ducks are some what like a banties they will try an hide their eggs if you keep taking them. So what i do is when they lay a egg i replace it with a golf ball, never going over three though.

 

[Wifezilla]

Fake stone eggs are working for me

 

[duckking]

Thanks everyone. I put some wood shavings down and then a bunch of straw on top and a couple of golf balls.. The ducks are so weird. My chickens, of course, were all in there in 2 seconds, but the ducks are so wary of new stuff. If the chickens start laying in there, maybe the ducks will lay on the floor of the coop? Hopefully the chickens will stick to their nesting boxes