Drake keeps sitting in the nesting boxes

[KikiDeAnime]

Our 1 year old Khaki Campbell drake named Colonel keeps getting into the nesting boxes and just sitting there. He only does this during the day and I can't just close them off because some of our chickens are still laying. I keep having to pull him out despite him biting me.

Why is he doing this?
Is there a way to fix this?

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Our 1 year old Khaki Campbell drake named Colonel keeps getting into the nesting boxes and just sitting there. He only does this during the day and I can't just close them off because some of our chickens are still laying. I keep having to pull him out despite him biting me.

Why is he doing this?
Is there a way to fix this?

Is he cold? Scared? Being harassed?
Can you just add another nest box and let him have that one to snuggle in

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Then I would say he just likes to snuggle in the box maybe it's his happy place.
can you move the nest boxes up high where the chickens can get in them but not the ducks?

Unfortunately when we first put them in, the hens didn't really see them as we put them high up where they had to fly up into them. We moved 2 down but the 3rd one is still high up and is barely used by the hens. We will sometimes get 1 or no eggs at all in the 3rd one. Everyone loves the 2 lower ones.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Well I can't think of anything else to deter him.

Thanks anyway!

 

[Beaglegal]

I personally would not house a duck with chickens that is your first problem.

Do you have other ducks or is he alone in there with the chickens?

It could just be that he likes the solitude and the security of being inside the box.
Or he could be trying to go off by himself because he is feeling sick.
I would watch him for a while and see if you notice anything out of the ordinary if laying in a nest box is not normal behavior for him.

Agree, my drake gets territorial with chickens. He might be protecting the area for his ladies. Some of my chickens are obsessed with sneaking to the duck barn and laying in there... he doesn’t like it and gets defensive.

 

[Beaglegal]

His females aren't laying though. Our 1 yr old female only laid last year and our 7 month old female hasn't started yet.
Plus, Colonel and Duchess(1 yr) have lived with the chickens since last year and Kaeda(7 mth old) has lived with them since she was 3 months old. No problems at all.

Shrug, animal behavior changes and often we don’t know why. Sounds like he is being territorial now. Laying isn’t required for drakes to get territorial

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

has it been there since they were babies? my boys had their brooder box as a “nest” in their sleeping area for awhile (until it broke) and loved to snuggle in it

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Is he cold? Scared? Being harassed?
Can you just add another nest box and let him have that one to snuggle in ☺

He's definitely not scared or being harassed as he's the one who does the harassing.
Can't be cold as their coop keeps heat in easily.
There's 3 nesting boxes in total and I don't want him in any of them because he keeps scaring off the hens when they attempt to get in it.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

has it been there since they were babies? my boys had their brooder box as a “nest” in their sleeping area for awhile (until it broke) and loved to snuggle in it

He was a rescue as a duckling and was kept indoors where I raised him.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

He's definitely not scared or being harassed as he's the one who does the harassing.
Can't be cold as their coop keeps heat in easily.
There's 3 nesting boxes in total and I don't want him in any of them because he keeps scaring off the hens when they attempt to get in it.

I personally would not house a duck with chickens that is your first problem.

Do you have other ducks or is he alone in there with the chickens?

It could just be that he likes the solitude and the security of being inside the box.
Or he could be trying to go off by himself because he is feeling sick.
I would watch him for a while and see if you notice anything out of the ordinary if laying in a nest box is not normal behavior for him.