Is Moving a newly laying Muscovy Duck a bad idea?

[swampducks]

My 11 month old Muscovy duck has just started laying. Currently, she and her beau are in with the chickens and guineas (long story) . The laid an egg yesterday in one spot behind a nesting box and this morning an egg was inside a nesting box. DH is putting the finishing touches on my new duck pen today and I should be able to move her to the new duck house and pen in the morning.

DH is afraid if we move her now that she started laying eggs it could shut down her production. He thinks maybe we should wait till she lays a few more before moving her. We will be collecting the first batch for the incubator. I am worried if we don't move her the eggs will be tromped on by the guineas, chickens and possibly break them. The one she laid yesterday is already covered in muck. We want to be careful because she's our last duck (still have 2 drakes) since the mink killed all my ducklings last fall (may that mink NOT RIP!!)

Can ye wise old duck peeps give me a sign please?

 

[Bleenie]

She should be fine with the move. Her boyfriend is going with her right? that would help ease any stress she may have from it. i would also move her eggs to her new nesting box so she knows where to lay and maybe she'll fell a little better having her eggs too, birds don't like change but sometimes we just have to do it. she will feel better having some of 'her' things with her though(eggs and boyfriend)

is the new pen far from the one shes in now?

 

[keeperofthehearth]

I'd move her. She may have a break in her laying cycle regardless if you move her now or later. She may not. I agree w/Bleenie and would set her eggs in a nest box also. That may just encourage her to keep laying there. Happy Hatching!!

 

[swampducks]

Thanks.

And yes her BF will be moving with her. The new coop is next to the old coop and the runs share a fence. In fact I dropped one of the doors of the new coop down today and she started looking at in intently and even walked over to the fence to look more closely. I could just imagine her thinking; "hmmm, now that looks like a nice quiet place to live."

I hope she really likes it when she moves in tomorrow morning. DH finished the run today. It looks great!