Ducks and Nesting

[Tinydinomomma]

Can you use "fake" eggs in a ducks nesting box to get them to use the nesting box for laying eggs?

 

[Tookie]

Yes, you can! It’s worth a shot to try.
I use golf balls instead, but they work just as well. I trained mine to lay in the corner of the coop since they kept laying in the run when they first started to lay.

 

[Bolfreak]

I like this thread and looking for advice on Nesting with a mixed flock, but especially ducks.
I have turkeys, ducks and a pair of geese. The geese are guardians for the ducks and only mate/lay/go psycho in the spring. The turkeys roost except my big tom and hens that are molting or have wonky feet. The ducks are separated into my Cayugas in a stall with my geese and my Crested and Buffs that stay in ‘gen pop’ in the barn but not in a stall. This way I know whose eggs are whose because I’m working on a color project and need those groups separate. My Cayugas lay eggs in straw (the cheap local stuff) under a propped up pallet my geese like to perch on. The others have several plastic and wire dog kennels without doors and filled with Standlee straw. I will sometimes add the bits of grass & Timothy hay that fall off my horse bales. Currently the ducks (and drakes, too) get really excited pushing the bedding around in the different places and my Crested ladies lay in the same plastic dog kennel. But then during the day everyone seems to wander through that nest. I haven’t had a duck go broody inside yet (have had Cayugas secretly lay outside then not show up for dinner and I have to find them), but I would like to encourage those traits in a hen that will be successful.
I also have a crazy turkey hen that loves to take over duck nests and she’s hatched several ducklings that way. So a nest she can’t fit in would be better for duck moms.
I also use golfballs to deter snakes and because previous homeowners were obsessed and drove balls into the pasture regardless of the animals in it but haven’t seen any evidence of the balls doing anything.
Anyway, what has worked for you as far as nesting size/shape/height/bedding etc?
Pic of the babies my turkey hatched for no reason other than they’re cute

 

[Yardmom]

It won't hurt to try putting out nest eggs for ducks. Some of mine look for nests to lay in. Others just drop their egg wherever they are at laying time.

 

[Tookie]

I like this thread and looking for advice on Nesting with a mixed flock, but especially ducks.
I have turkeys, ducks and a pair of geese. The geese are guardians for the ducks and only mate/lay/go psycho in the spring. The turkeys roost except my big tom and hens that are molting or have wonky feet. The ducks are separated into my Cayugas in a stall with my geese and my Crested and Buffs that stay in ‘gen pop’ in the barn but not in a stall. This way I know whose eggs are whose because I’m working on a color project and need those groups separate. My Cayugas lay eggs in straw (the cheap local stuff) under a propped up pallet my geese like to perch on. The others have several plastic and wire dog kennels without doors and filled with Standlee straw. I will sometimes add the bits of grass & Timothy hay that fall off my horse bales. Currently the ducks (and drakes, too) get really excited pushing the bedding around in the different places and my Crested ladies lay in the same plastic dog kennel. But then during the day everyone seems to wander through that nest. I haven’t had a duck go broody inside yet (have had Cayugas secretly lay outside then not show up for dinner and I have to find them), but I would like to encourage those traits in a hen that will be successful.
I also have a crazy turkey hen that loves to take over duck nests and she’s hatched several ducklings that way. So a nest she can’t fit in would be better for duck moms.
I also use golfballs to deter snakes and because previous homeowners were obsessed and drove balls into the pasture regardless of the animals in it but haven’t seen any evidence of the balls doing anything.
Anyway, what has worked for you as far as nesting size/shape/height/bedding etc?
Pic of the babies my turkey hatched for no reason other than they’re cute

I only just started keeping ducks this year, and they started laying in July about, so I don't have a ton of experience. But so far I've only been using pine shavings as bedding and I don't have an actual nesting box. They just lay in the corner of the coop where I put the golf balls.

 

[Bolfreak]

It won't hurt to try putting out nest eggs for ducks. Some of mine look for nests to lay in. Others just drop their egg wherever they are at laying time.

I’m hatching some eggs now so I date the ones they lay and put them back, in case they want to brood.
I find eggs out of a nest when they’re starting to lay, or if it’s in an area that gets traffic and gets kicked about.
I’m also interested in broodiness in duck breeds, if it IS breed. My turkey hatched a Buff duck and I want to see if turkey can teach the duck to brood or maybe they’ll brood together. Along with my color project, I will only select for breeding birds that have traits good for backyard flocks and free ranging, so ability to brood and raise babies is just as important as males that can perform without being aggressive.

 

[Yardmom]

Broodiness is hormonal, not taught. It does seem to be hereditary. I have several breeds of ducks. Many have gone broody. (I also have several broody chickens each year) My runners are the broodiest my Anocanas never were. This is the opposite of what breed descriptions usually say, but have had a few years of hatches with me putting eggs under unrelated mothers. I clearly see how the most broody birds are of the same lines.

 

[Bolfreak]

Broodiness is hormonal, not taught. It does seem to be hereditary. I have several breeds of ducks. Many have gone broody. (I also have several broody chickens each year) My runners are the broodiest my Anocanas never were. This is the opposite of what breed descriptions usually say, but have had a few years of hatches with me putting eggs under unrelated mothers. I clearly see how the most broody birds are of the same lines.

Thanks for sharing that! I love your methodology.
I like that you mentioned your experience was different than what was stated, which is exactly why I’m studying this myself. I also wonder if we’re not really conducive to studying broodiness because we (owners) are constantly removing eggs, whether for eating or hatching, so the girls don’t ever get to fill up a nest regardless of breed.
The hormone thing I agree, I’ve seen my various males (even my gelding!) act different with certain females at certain times and the girls get spicy with eachother as well. I wonder if that or those hormones could be triggered or supplemented somehow?