Laying ducks

[columbiacritter]

My ducks just started laying last weekend, so far just 3 eggs.

How important is it for ducks to have nest boxes if I'm not going to let them sit them?

Right now they've laid the last two in the coop on the floor.

If I keep the floor clean with a good layer of straw so they need nest boxes?

They are Khakis and Cayugas. 20 wks old last Monday.

The eggs are light tanny orange so I'm thinking it's a Khaki laying.

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

laying right on time put a nest box in there and put a fake egg [golfball] in the nestbox and hopefully they will lay in there it took mine about 3 weeks to learn what the nest was for so dont give up

 

[ChickenToes]

I think Campbells lay white eggs. My ducklings are arriving tomorrow, I'm so excited!

Congrats on the eggs!

 

[WelshHarlequinDuck]

I plan on offering my ducks some sort of nesting area. I guess I don't know that it's a real need, but just seems like they might be more comfy doing their thing.

I read somewhere (maybe on this list) that someone cut those large plastic 55 gallon drums in half (with the barrel standing on end) placed them so the open side was on the ground and then cut an entrance hole. I really like that idea for a nice little protected laying area but it might not work in a small coop.

 

[LV426]

I've offered nesting boxes but mine prefer a big pile of straw that they will make a nest out of and then lay it there. They will also just lay them on the ground too. No accounting for duckie taste.

 

[Heather J]

Cayuga eggs are green or even gray/green. the first time I found one of 'Larry's' eggs i thought my Americaunas had laid them and they were way old and that's why they were nearly gray all over, so I tossed them out. turned out Larry was a girl, and my Americauanas were roosters. lol

Larry, and dot, my Muscovy hen have been laying in a secluded corner of thier run which is protected on two sides by bales of hay. they built their nest in the straw and dot lined it with feathers and they were off. Definitely put golf balls in there. In fact, you might want to add a ball when you take the eggs out at first so they'll continue to lay there. Every time I stole the eggs from previous nests, Larry would find somewhere else to lay them, and then I had to start looking all over again. lol

Now dot is sitting on the nest and I'm so excited to see if anything actually hatches. Larry's eggs should hatch about the same time as my chicks, then i might have to keep the bator warm for Dot's eggs, if she gives up when the first batch hatch 9gotta love staggered hatching dates.)

 

[dragonshiner]

My ducklings are only 14 weeks old, but I've already got a makeshift nesting box ready for them. Just in case. It's a large metal wash sink that's turned over on it's side with a cinder block blocking half of the front opening, and holding the box in place. The other half of the front is open for the ducks to get in and out if they want. So far my chickens, who were out free ranging until a fox scenario presented itself, used the box quite a lot. So hopefully the ducks won't have any problem with it either.

 

[Goat_Walker]

My 8 month old Buff duck just started to lay her first batch

She has 6 total but one or two look like they wont make it

I put out all sorts of nesting places for her , but instead of picking any of them, or eve nher igloo, she went and made her nest in the goat house! Just kicked my two girls out and decided she would make her self right at home

If they do hatch they are due around the end of the month

Good luck!