Ducks are so funny

[CayugaJana]

Here's my Welsh Harlequin after playing in the mud.

View attachment 1193264

My ducks hav been thrilled with all the rain lately, which has been heavy enough to make a xl puddle big enough for them to bathe in! They didn't even want their breakfast, just the opportunity to play and make more mud.

Oh my! That picture is the greatest!

They look at you so innocently too, like what’s the big deal?!

 

[CayugaJana]

I think I broke the girls hearts yesterday. Put away the pool for the winter since we don't have water on outside anymore and it was getting stinky. Thinking about running a hose from inside the house (that's at least 200 feet though) or from the rain barrel. We have been getting so much rain, I'm sure we could fill the pool in no time! They were standing there staring at the empty space heads all bobbing like where did it go? What is going on?

If I could imagine a reason for ducks to pout, it would be taking away their pool.

 

[pamelajean]

Here's my Welsh Harlequin after playing in the mud.

View attachment 1193264

My ducks hav been thrilled with all the rain lately, which has been heavy enough to make a xl puddle big enough for them to bathe in! They didn't even want their breakfast, just the opportunity to play and make more mud.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Oh, @Farmer Connie I have thought of a "Don't" about ducks....Don't expect them to lay in a specific nest each day like a chicken.........however, a duck will lay between 5-8am, depending on the syncing of the sun with the clock and if ya leave them penned until about 9-9:30 they will lay their eggs in the penned area. Now this is the norm and not the rule, but when ya let them out you'll just about always have the days eggs gathered....they are not like chickens that lay thru out the day. We allow them to designate and form their own nesting spots so they will lay somewhat consistently in those spots....if you make it they usually won't use it.....

 

[Krazyquilts]

Oh, @Farmer Connie I have thought of a "Don't" about ducks....Don't expect them to lay in a specific nest each day like a chicken.........however, a duck will lay between 5-8am, depending on the syncing of the sun with the clock and if ya leave them penned until about 9-9:30 they will lay their eggs in the penned area. Now this is the norm and not the rule, but when ya let them out you'll just about always have the days eggs gathered....they are not like chickens that lay thru out the day. We allow them to designate and form their own nesting spots so they will lay somewhat consistently in those spots....if you make it they usually won't use it.....

My ducks almost always lay in their nesting boxes. Maybe once every couple weeks there's a egg laid on the floor, but usually they are really good about laying where I want them to. I bought open-top cat litter boxes on Amazon and put fake wooden eggs about a month or so before I thought they would start laying, and it worked great. Oh and I deliberately started not letting them out of their house until after 10 am or so, because like you said, that reduces their number of possible nesting spots. My ducks that are laying or that have laid in the past are Buffs, Cayugas, a Welsh Harlequin and a Magpie. (I've heard on here that Indian Runners are notoriously skittish and usually just drop an egg where ever they happen to running around at the time.)