Laying in pond!

[Chee]

I have three female ducks that I haven’t seen one egg from. I assume they’re laying in our pond (natural), and they are fenced in with our 27 chickens. They don’t go in at night, and even if they did they’d be let out at daybreak with the chickens. They have a house that they rarely use and instead sleep pondside. Any tricks or gimmicks to collect eggs or convince them to nest?
All bedding we place gets moved about by the nosy chickens..

 

[WallyG74]

I don’t think ducks lay regular like chickens do. I’m no expert but I do know a couple experts.
@Overo Mare @The Moonshiner

 

[fatty and friends]

ducks just lay wherever they want lol. my girl doesn't lay much anymore but when she was younger i would find eggs in the pool or under bushes all the time

 

[Aunt Angus]

My ducks don't lay this time of year. Yours might not be, either. I've never had one lay in water, but who knows?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Out of my 11 girls I have 3 laying every day this winter
2 first thing in the morning and one in the evening
I know many say their ducks lay wherever but my girls love to lay in the dog crate. I took the door off anc they go in to lay
Even fight over it at times
I’m going to pick up a few more before spring
I leave the duck door open to the coop and they even go back inside just to lay in the crate
You can try to put a few eggs in a nest type area or grab a crate and put some in. They may start to lay in it
In this photo both my morning girls are trying to lay at the same time

 

[Painted Calls]

ducks just lay wherever they want lol.

This ^^

i would find eggs in the pool or under bushes all the time

And this lol

IME, they don't all lay every day like chickens do. I have girls that (within their laying season) would give me 5-6 a week. Some girls only 2. It's very random and they like to switch it up. I also have hens that will lay religiously in their boxes, and some that will hide them in crazy places.

I only have Calls though, and mine only lay from around March through late July/early August.

 

[WallyG74]

This ^^

And this lol

IME, they don't all lay every day like chickens do. I have girls that (within their laying season) would give me 5-6 a week. Some girls only 2. It's very random and they like to switch it up. I also have hens that will lay religiously in their boxes, and some that will hide them in crazy places.

I only have Calls though, and mine only lay from around March through late July/early August.

Thanks, expert.

 

[Isadora]

If you don't coop them overnight and control what time you let them out in the morning, I don't think there's much you can do. My ducks (when they're laying....they're currently taking a winter break) are cooped overnight and lay their eggs in one corner. I find a random egg outside the nest but not too often.
I do find eggs outside on occasion but it's rare, they mostly lay in the morning before they get let out.
And mine have laid in their swimming hole, lol

I would try a little doghouse or tote turned on its side to see if that is something they like, but I don't have high hopes the chickens would leave it alone.

 

[WallyG74]

If you don't coop them overnight and control what time you let them out in the morning, I don't think there's much you can do. My ducks (when they're laying....they're currently taking a winter break) are cooped overnight and lay their eggs in one corner. I find a random egg outside the nest but not too often.
I do find eggs outside on occasion but it's rare, they mostly lay in the morning before they get let out.
And mine have laid in their swimming hole, lol

I would try a little doghouse or tote turned on its side to see if that is something they like, but I don't have high hopes the chickens would leave it alone.

Sorry I forgot you were a Duck expert too!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Out of my 11 girls I have 3 laying every day this winter
2 first thing in the morning and one in the evening
I know many say their ducks lay wherever but my girls love to lay in the dog crate. I took the door off anc they go in to lay
Even fight over it at times
I’m going to pick up a few more before spring
I leave the duck door open to the coop and they even go back inside just to lay in the crate
You can try to put a few eggs in a nest type area or grab a crate and put some in. They may start to lay in it
In this photo both my morning girls are trying to lay at the same time

I swear my ducks love to make liars out of me
I post this and then this morning I had 3 little eggs from my younger girls who hadn’t started before winter
They are 6 months now but one of the 6 younger girls started at 4.5 months
Edited to add also they didn’t lay in the crate lol