Duck has made a nest! Won't lay in the house :(

[LACavalier]

Hello! You all were so helpful the last time I posted about my very naughty drake, I appreciate all of the feedback you gave me! My drake is acting right, but now I have a hen who has gone rogue! All three of my hens have been laying eggs since right before Thanksgiving. They have each been laying one egg a day in their house, no problem, everything is great.

About a week ago, one of my girls started waking everyone up in the middle of the night (like 2:30 - 4 AM) demanding to be let out of the house. Not surprisingly, in the morning we would only have two eggs to collect. This morning I finally found where she's been running off to - she's made herself a nest on the side of our pond and has 8-9 eggs in there. I don't want ducklings, it's January. I don't want the ducks out of the house at night, we have had coyote sightings!

Do any of you have advice on how to get my gal to break up with her nest?! Do I just take the eggs out of the nest (which is in the middle of a blackberry thicket, thanks girl) and put a few back in the house? I'm at loss!

 

[chickens really]

Yes..Take the eggs. Destroy her nest and you might need to confine her to the pen for a few days.

 

[CrystaBub]

This may not be the best answer, but I definitely wouldn't let her out until daylight no matter how much she has a temper tantrum - and yes get rid of the clutch in the thicket (don't scratch yourself too much!) because that is just calling for predators to come and eat them - maybe then she'll get the message! My girls lay really early like that too - thank goodness they don't squawk to get out - I'd have to have a word or two with them if they did

 

[LACavalier]

This may not be the best answer, but I definitely wouldn't let her out until daylight no matter how much she has a temper tantrum - and yes get rid of the clutch in the thicket (don't scratch yourself too much!) because that is just calling for predators to come and eat them - maybe then she'll get the message! My girls lay really early like that too - thank goodness they don't squawk to get out - I'd have to have a word or two with them if they did

Keeping them up until morning would definitely be my preference, but sadly I have neighbors that are pretty close! I don't want to start some sort of feud over VERY loud quacking in the middle of the night. I'll suit up and head into the thicket ... what on earth is she thinking?!

 

[chickens really]

Definitely let her find the eggs gone and nest destroyed before you pen her in for a few days.

 

[CrystaBub]

Keeping them up until morning would definitely be my preference, but sadly I have neighbors that are pretty close! I don't want to start some sort of feud over VERY loud quacking in the middle of the night. I'll suit up and head into the thicket ... what on earth is she thinking?!

Maybe you could take your neighbors something baked with those fresh duck eggs and tell them you're working on 'retraining' your girls and they may hear them for a few mornings while they get used to their new routine. They really are like little kids - they'll throw a fit but eventually should get used to staying in until daylight. Good luck - hope you have the first aid kit ready for your poor arms!!! LOL

 

[LACavalier]

Maybe you could take your neighbors something baked with those fresh duck eggs and tell them you're working on 'retraining' your girls and they may hear them for a few mornings while they get used to their new routine. They really are like little kids - they'll throw a fit but eventually should get used to staying in until daylight. Good luck - hope you have the first aid kit ready for your poor arms!!! LOL

That's a good idea! The ducks were doing so well, waiting until daybreak and generally behaving and now all of a sudden one just got this wild hair and decided she needed a nest. Like, c'mon!

 

[LACavalier]

Definitely let her find the eggs gone and nest destroyed before you pen her in for a few days.

Will do!

 

[CrystaBub]

That's a good idea! The ducks were doing so well, waiting until daybreak and generally behaving and now all of a sudden one just got this wild hair and decided she needed a nest. Like, c'mon!

RIGHT! It's a good thing they are so dang cute huh? When it was super cold this week I didn't let my babies out until well after daybreak - and they let me know how very displeased they were with me - squawking away!

 

[LACavalier]

Hey, I just wanted to give everyone an update! I gathered all of the eggs out of the nest and broke it up (it was such a cold, scratchy job!). They acted up so bad Thursday morning and got let out somewhat early, but I made them stay in the pen way longer than I had been.

Last night, there was no quacking in the night, they were perfect angels and everyone laid their egg in the house!! Thank you all so much for your advice! One of the girls at work wanted the eggs that were in the nest to incubate, so we shall see how that goes!