How do Mandarins ducklings get out of the nest?

[texascowboy1979]

Ive read that the nest box should be 1 foot x 1 foot x 18" high. So how do the baby ducklings get out? Do they just jump out? to me 18" is deep.

 

[treldib]

If you've ever seen Mandarin or Wood Duck Ducklings in a brooder...man those things can JUMP! They also use their relatively large "talons" to pull themselves up. If you go on YouTube and watch a video from inside a Mandarin/Wood Duck Nest on hatch day you will see their jumping ability in action.

 

[F50myster]

they get in a airplane and fly out!

....you might want to put like stair or something that they can use to climb down

 

[treldib]

Quote:
Im pretty sure the OP is talking about getting from the floor of the nest box to the rim of the nest box opening. The ducklings then jump amazing heights to the ground (up to 20' in some extreme cases) and their waiting mom without injury. They actually kinda bounce

 

[treldib]

Duplicate Post Removed

 

[destinduck]

I use hardware cloth but if you score the wood that will work too. I have very. recent pics on the migratory/ ontamental thread.

 

[desertdarlene]

I know wood ducklings jump as I've seen them do it. I've heard that they can survive jumps of up to 200 feet!

 

[kangababy]

We put hardware cloth in all of our nesting boxes from them to climb up.
It is wire that is like 1/4 inch by 1/4 maybe 1/2..

It helps them but they can jump....

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Some breeders when they have trouble with the ducklings not feeding or drinking will take and drop the ducklings because at that point they have nothing to lose. Sometimes it works.