Duck nesting above door

[Doctor Pammie]

Hi, everyone. One of our Muscovy hens has decided to start sitting a nest in a rafter (kind of) above the inside of our barn door, about 9' above the ground. We didn't realize it until we heard a commotion up there and found her. I think today is just her second day of sitting the nest. My instinct is that we should move her to a safer place. She's an experienced mom and we have interacted with her a lot, so I think if we reset the nest in a safer place, she would stay if we put her there. Anyone have any experience moving nests? I'm afraid of the ducklings' first long step (!) if we leave her be.

 

[Lil Drake40]

If mine I’d remove the nest she may not take to a new place but try giving her a new nesting place. That is quiet and out of the way inside I lay a scrap piece of plywood etc. up against the wall secure my muscovies like privacy when nesting

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I am not sure about moving the nest, but many muscovies have hatched ducklings up high. There was a thread about it on here not too long ago.
@Miss Lydia Do you remember that discussion?

 

[sourland]

I have successfully moved numerous broody chicken hens, but have never been successful in moving a broody duck hen. Put ample bedding beneath the nest, and the ducklings will successfully jump down. Ever seen videos of wood duck ducklings leaving the nest ?

 

[Jpat]

Skip to 2:08 its amazing!

glad you mentioned it its incredible

 

[Doctor Pammie]

We decided to move her for many reasons. She was in the rafters over our barn door and not fitting very well into the space. It is hot up there, she was right next to an electric wire and just terribly inconvenient in that we couldn't close the barn door without disturbing her. We were able to pull some of her down out of the nest she'd made and reset it in the new place where we put her eggs. We locked her into her new spot (our original chicken coop which was for 4 chickens--boy, have we out grown that!) and after about an hour she set about rearranging the eggs and sitting on them. I think it helps that we have a lot of history with her. It probably also helps that this space is one where the ducks have previously laid eggs, so it's familiar to her. She's in the perfect place now. She should be much more comfortable and everyone is safer.

That video is incredible! Of course we would have wanted to help the future ducklings, but right in the barn door there was no way to set up a sort of "landing pad" for them!

Thanks for all the information!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Awesome it worked out!!