Extremely creative and sneaky nest makers

[Psychofeatherlover]

Does anybody else have a Muscovy hen that will absolutely NOT let anyone know where she is nesting? Her name is Lillie, and she is like Houdini. We have tried following her without being seen, but I swear she is psychic and will stop and go somewhere else and hide, making us believe we have found her nest, only to wait till we turn out back, and she'd vanished again. We have spent so much time spying on her, and trying to find her, it's crazy. I don't know how she does it. She won't even let other Muscovies know where she is nesting. The first time, we found her and her nest, but we knew it had to be close to hatching time and we didn't or couldn't destroy the nest. She had 9 that time. The 2nd time, she had 11 babies and we still don't know where the nest was. We don't want any more babies, but how do we stop it? I have a super hard time trying to stop them from living their best life and doing what they want to. If we could find the eggs, I don't mind taking them daily, but she makes it impossible. I'm thinking our only option, is a private investigator at this point.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@The Moonshiner

 

[Jenbirdee]

wow maybe you would have to lock her up that would be so sad, though what if you could put a little leg tag on her with a homing signal? Or possibly strap a small video camera on her and then watch the video later and you’ll know where she went? I don’t have any muskies and my ducks live in a 3000 square-foot area so I don’t have that problem I’m just making wild guesses here. In the meantime I will tag. @Miss Lydia

 

[p4PaDuck]

Tie a rope loosely to her foot and follow the rope to the nest but be careful she doesn’t get stuck

 

[The Moonshiner]

@The Moonshiner

All of mine do or try. Sometimes they're not so good and I find them rather early. Sometimes I never find them and they eventually show up with ducklings.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Tie a rope loosely to her foot and follow the rope to the nest but be careful she doesn’t get stuck

Really?

 

[Miss Lydia]

When mine were young they would climb up under the ramp going into the coop very small opening but some one would make it under or my husband's workshop they would get under there. I had to put hardware cloth and cover every nook and cranny. They finally started using the coops to nest in.
I had an OEGB hen who I would have to stake out to find her nest though it was I spy I found all but one and a very small predator found that one

 

[BackroadGirl57]

Really?

I know, doesn't sound like a good idea

 

[p4PaDuck]

Really?

Wdym? I’ve done it before and it didn’t hurt the momma duck you just have to tie it hide and follow her quietly it didn’t take more that 5 minutes to find the nest. I promise it wasn’t inhumane.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Wdym? I’ve done it before and it didn’t hurt the momma duck you just have to tie it hide and follow her quietly it didn’t take more that 5 minutes to find the nest. I promise it wasn’t inhumane.

If it was that easy and quick one should be able to just follow the duck.
Knowing my place and how my ducks are I'm imaging it'd take a very long length and there's no way it wouldn't get tangled up quickly.
Now if I could get her to take to the air to get to her nest it might work. I could follow the string like it was a crashed kite.