Duck eggs on roof ‘garden’

[practical_hand]

Hi everyone, i’m just looking for some advice.
I’ve seen ducks land in my ‘garden’ before but i live above a shop so my garden is an industrial roof.

We’ve seen a egg with yolk a couple of times broken and abandoned and presumed it may have been dropped or something because there was no chick. Anyway I recently added some plants next to my wall with all new plant pots and this morning saw a male duck on the floor in front of a female duck inside one of the big pots.

However my cat came out and scared them away before i could stop her

she’s now not allowed outside incase they return lol.

So they have abandoned 2 eggs. I’m hoping they return as we usually see them in the morning only, but i was just looking for some advice on how to keep them alive. It’s obviously boiling hot today in the UK so i’m hoping the heat will act as an incubator until their hopefully return in the morning.

and thanks to advice from the local feed store i’ve set up a food / water station so they feel comfortable staying.

i’m also worried about predators flying over head so not sure if i should get some form of gate or fence to put over and around, but then the lady duck won’t be able to get back to her eggs if she returns whilst i’m asleep. i’m just very invested in these 2 and their eggs and want to help as much as i can.

thanks.

 

[Callender Girl]

Sounds like you are going above and beyond! I have no experience with roof top nests, but I think you are correct in not putting a gate or fence up; mama needs to be able to access her eggs whenever.

It's hard to say how long she's been off the nest, so the eggs may or may not be viable. My runner ducks like to return to the same spot to lay, but have NO maternal instincts and will leave their eggs for DAYS unless I collect them.

Kudos to you for keeping your lovely cat indoors (kitty looks a bit unhappy, but still very pretty).

Hope everything works out for the best!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Ducks only lay one egg a day until the nest is full. Then, she starts the incubation process. That way, all the ducklings hatch at the same time. So, she should come back tomorrow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And once they all hatch is when the fun begins she'll want to take the off the roof so she can walk them to water. Do you have water close by?
I have seen this before where a wild Mallard hatches her ducklings on the roof of a business then once hatched she flies down to the ground and calls her ducklings who jump off the roof. This is where she may need you to protect her while she gets them down and they may need help to navigate till she gets them safely to water.
Please keep us updated. Other than what you have done so far putting out water and food I'd just let mama take care of the rest.

 

[practical_hand]

Ducks only lay one egg a day until the nest is full. Then, she starts the incubation process. That way, all the ducklings hatch at the same time. So, she should come back tomorrow.

oh i had no idea it was one a day! this gives me hope that she will return in the morning as i thought bc my cat had scared her that she would of had to finish the laying somewhere else. thanks for this info!

 

[practical_hand]

And once they all hatch is when the fun begins she'll want to take the off the roof so she can walk them to water. Do you have water close by?
I have seen this before where a wild Mallard hatches her ducklings on the roof of a business then once hatched she flies down to the ground and calls her ducklings who jump off the roof. This is where she may need you to protect her while she gets them down and they may need help to navigate till she gets them safely to water.
Please keep us updated. Other than what you have done so far putting out water and food I'd just let mama take care of the rest.

yes i live a very short walk from the canal so if and when that day comes i’ll be happy to help her. unsure of how to go about that atm unless they can go down a flight of stairs and across a few roads with me stopping traffic (i would lol).

 

[Miss Lydia]

She may need your help once she gets the ducklings off the roof. I saw the cutest video where a person working at an office in a bank building watched from his window the mama ducks sitting and hatching then when the day arrived for the mama to take the ducklings to water this person was on the sidewalk with helpers and each duckling when it jumped was caught then they escorted mama and ducklings to the lake. Another sweet stroy was at an elementary school each year Mama Mallard would hatch her eggs on the school grounds but to get the ducklings to water she had to take them through the school building they would have the kids sit on the floor and watched mama walking her ducklings through the school and down to the water. It was so precious.
they jump off the roof. It's amazing but they are so light evidently they don't get hurt.

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.torontowildlifecentre.c...oblems/ducks-nesting-on-a-balcony-or-rooftop/

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/08/9946...val-skills-to-get-11-ducklings-down-9-stories

https://www.fox17online.com/news/lo...corted-through-grand-rapids-elementary-school
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/amazing-duck-story/

 

[Callender Girl]

What great videos -- and some really great advice! Thanks for posting, @Miss Lydia!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Glad you enjoyed them I loved them too.