Duck has build a nest, should i remove eggs? (No ducklings wanted)

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Hi Friends,

need a quick advice: To my surprise, my Indian Runner ducks have started to lay recently. Now today i discovered that one of them has build a nest inside with already two eggs inside. We don't want any ducklings in Winter! I have not removed the eggs yet, have read that ducks lay some test-eggs in a nest site, cover them and if those aren't removed they start using the nest seriously. I'm afraid now that if i take those two eggs away, the duck will lay her eggs somewhere else, where i might not find them. I don't want ducklings now but i don't want to spook my duck. How unlikely is it for an Indian Runner to go broody anyway?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Remove the real eggs daily and add some fake ceramic eggs to keep her laying in the same spot.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Remove the real eggs daily and add some fake ceramic eggs to keep her laying in the same spot.

Right, that was my idea too, problem is i don't have any artificial eggs and the nearest store that has some is 2 hours away (one-way!). I don't think a white golf-ball would be accepted?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Right, that was my idea too, problem is i don't have any artificial eggs and the nearest store that has some is 2 hours away (one-way!). I don't think a white golf-ball would be accepted?

You could just make sure to leave a few each day. I think if you do remove them all she will move somewhere else. I don't know runner ducks only muscovy, so I could be wrong.

 

[Cayuga momma]

Golf balls worked for my chickens

 

[WVduckchick]

Mark one or two eggs with a sharpie marker. Leave those 2, but remove any others as they are added. Keep a couple to replace the original 2 marked ones (keep, as in don't eat lol) Replace the marked ones every week to 10 days.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Mark one or two eggs with a sharpie marker. Leave those 2, but remove any others as they are added. Keep a couple to replace the original 2 marked ones (keep, as in don't eat lol) Replace the marked ones every week to 10 days.

Excellent Idea! Will do so with a little change: Will replace the duck eggs with store-bough chicken eggs until the fake duck-eggs i just ordered will arrive next week. Thank you very much!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Has anybody ever had a Runner Duck building a nest?
All i have heart about them is that they care least of all duck breeds for their eggs.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Done! Switched the duck-eggs with chicken eggs.
This is what the nest with the duck-eggs looked like:

And here is the nest with the chicken eggs:

I covered the eggs, just like Mrs. Duck did:

The duck eggs are slightly smaller than the store-bought chicken eggs, so i assume those are from one of my smaller females.

Let's see how the eggchange trick works out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

None of my Runners have built a nest they just lay where they take a notion inside their coop but they came from broody Runners so there is always a chance you may get a broody when your ready. @CyndiD