I need help

[sitchy53]

I have Rhone ducks 1 male and 5 females. I keep finding eggs in the backyard pond that is not very clean. Do you think the eggs would be viable to try to incubate, or should I throw them away. I put straw out in a few places hoping to get someone to make a nest in the straw. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do.

 

[Srbenda]

Do they have a house/coop that they sleep in at night?

 

[Amiga]

One recommendation I read when I first got ducks was to keep them in their secure night shelter until after they lay, usually by 8 a.m.

I find that has worked out for us. Actually, I do let them out before then, often, but I do my outside chores while they noodle around, and they can get back into the duck house to lay if they wish.

Very rarely do I find an egg anywhere but the duck house.

What is your setup and routine like?

(And we always enjoy photo's!)

 

[70%cocoa]

I do the same as Amiga. 9 out of 10 times they lay in the nest, inside their house. 1 out of 10 still ends up in a random, usually dirty, place, LOL.

Is it possible for you to provide them with a house and pen that they can be shut into at night (if they haven't got one already)?

With eggs that have been laid in the pond...I have found that eggs that have been in the pond for a while (like overnight) absorb water through the shell. The white goes very runny. That may affect viability. But Holderread has a story in his book of some mallard eggs he found as a kid that were underwater and he incubated them and they hatched. So it's worth a try!

 

[sitchy53]

I think that is going to be my solution to build a night secure structure for the ducks. I will see if my hubby will help me build it. Thanks for the information.

 

[sitchy53]

I will be working on building one, I bet that will work. Thanks

 

[sitchy53]

Thanks for the information and I will try to get a secure structure built for them at night. Thanks and I think I will give it a try to incubate the eggs I pulled from the pond.

 

[Amiga]

You could start with something like a dog house with a door for overnight, as long as nothing can reach in or get in, and it has good ventilation.

I like half inch hardware cloth for covering openings, since it is pretty tough, keeps most things out, and lets fresh air in.

There are some good discussions and many examples of duck shelters on the forum, try searching for "duck house" "duck coop" or "duck shelter."

 

[sitchy53]

Thanks for you information Amiga. Sharon