Frustrated new duck owner

[duckking]

So far only 1 of my ducks is laying, but we lock them up at night and there is always an egg in the morning buried under their bedding. I tried getting them to nest in a dog house, but because they lay so early, we have yet to get them out beforehand. We let them out at 7AM and the one has already laid every day.

 

[Razorpig]

Thanks for all the advice. As far as their food goes, i read somewhere catfish food was nutritious for ducks byt ill follow up on that. the catfish feeder only gets about half of the feed in the pond when it goes off so this is why they have it. i have a corn feeder set up by my pond for deer and other wildlife, but the ducks gobble it up before anything really has a chance to get it. I have turned the timer down so they dont get as much but have plans to move it. And yes they free range 24/7.

I have a floating dock i built for them last week to keep them safe at night because i have lost 2 to creatures of teh night. They are not using it however. I plan on constructing a house on the dock for them with nesting boxes in it to solve both problems. however, it will take a boat to collect the eggs

 

[PlumTuckered]

My Girls are all laying ( 3 mallard hens, 2 pekin hens and 1 magpie/runner mix hen) every day. Mine won't use the nest boxes, they made a nest in the corner of the duck house and they all lay in the same nest. Do you know where your ducks are resting at night other than the pond? You might find the eggs in there. Mine all lay by 8:30 in the morning and then cover the eggs up with hay.

Michelle