Female Welsh and the boys

[Selahlove]

So I’m a rook at this...I brought 6 ducks into our pond. It’s a high bear and big turtle area. Lost 2 females. Don’t know how. I want to bring them in at night... they are hard to get into cage. Also told bears will get thru anything. I’ve been leaving them out by pond where they can escape predators... Welsh is pregnant and leaves an egg each morning... my questions...
1. Still leave out? I have looked at tons of pens... none will keep bears out. Electric fence?
2. Keep my two harlequins in (1 male...1female)
I’m limited where to keep them in house. Hard to get them back outside. I would do this to get my Welsh to nest and lay her eggs... when does this happen? She lays an egg a day but no sit.
Also concerned these boys are to hard on her. Too many boys now . Only 1 female.
3. How do I get edible eggs? Her first had no life. Toss? Incubating 9 other of her eggs now.
When will she get her nest going ... should I leave some ? Thanks... Help!

 

[Yardmom]

Each duck is different. She may decide to sit on eggs to hatch or she might not. Having more drakes than hens is very hard on a hen. The pond can be safer than land, but large turtles can hurt ducks. You would need more than a cage to protect them from bears. You should be able to eat her eggs. Unless you want to hatch them.

 

[Selahlove]

Each duck is different. She may decide to sit on eggs to hatch or she might not. Having more drakes than hens is very hard on a hen. The pond can be safer than land, but large turtles can hurt ducks. You would need more than a cage to protect them from bears. You should be able to eat her eggs. Unless you want to hatch them.

Would you bring her in away from boys until we get more females? I ordered a large coop to go on our back porch. I can get her out almost daily to small pool . Will she keep laying all spring and Summer?

 

[KimberBee]

I've had 6 harlequins for about a year. I get 4-6 eggs per day. I just got two drakes (only wanted one... long story). Our ladies lay eggs each morning before they go out. We let them out a little after sun up. Occasionally I find an egg in the yard, and once I could see one in the pond, but I started keeping them in a few hours after sun up and they got in the habit of laying in a box in their coop.
I don't see why you cant eat the egss you have. As for going broody... I only had one duck go broody one day. We do have ceramic eggs in the coop that we used to train them where we wanted them to lay. The ladies seemed to follow that lead... but it did confuse my son how we had 12 eggs one morning with 6 ducks.
Good luck. I haven't put the drakes with them yet as the drakes are only 3 weeks old.
-KB

 

[Yardmom]

I would not lock 1 hen in an enclosure with 3 drakes. She may need to separated. Even free range with that many drakes would be tough for her. Each duck is different but she should continue to lay all summer.