Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[TheYeldman]

Just a quick question. I have a nest box in the mandarins' pen and it seems to be refusing to accept it. It's one of the covered porch type boxes with a couple of bricks creating a step to the entrance. The box is lined with wood shavings but the female really seems to hate it. She's been in a couple of times but mostly just walks from one end of the pen to the other and back again like a neurotic polar bear trying to find a way out (and presumably a more acceptable nest site). I cobbled together an other nest box yesterday to see if she'd take to that one; it's a more standard type box, deeper with no porch. I filled that with straw as that's the only bedding I have handy. She hasn't looked at that yet and continues to walk from one end of the pen to the door and back looking for a way out. The male keeps trying to persuade her to go in the original box to no avail. This happened last year as well and she didn't end up laying any eggs at all, but I presumed this was to do with having a new younger mate. Do you think she will settle, or is there anything else I can do?

Cheers

 

[cjexotic]

Mine here in pa have not laid yet either.

 

[austinbndr28]

Just a quick question. I have a nest box in the mandarins' pen and it seems to be refusing to accept it. It's one of the covered porch type boxes with a couple of bricks creating a step to the entrance. The box is lined with wood shavings but the female really seems to hate it. She's been in a couple of times but mostly just walks from one end of the pen to the other and back again like a neurotic polar bear trying to find a way out (and presumably a more acceptable nest site). I cobbled together an other nest box yesterday to see if she'd take to that one; it's a more standard type box, deeper with no porch. I filled that with straw as that's the only bedding I have handy. She hasn't looked at that yet and continues to walk from one end of the pen to the door and back looking for a way out. The male keeps trying to persuade her to go in the original box to no avail. This happened last year as well and she didn't end up laying any eggs at all, but I presumed this was to do with having a new younger mate. Do you think she will settle, or is there anything else I can do?

Cheers

I couldnt get mine to go in the nest box either for 2 breeding seasons so I sold them. I've heard if their pool is dirty they won't nest or too small of an enclosure.

 

[TheYeldman]

Cheers but I have had this female nest (albeit unsuccessfully) before with a previous male. Although that was in the standard style of nest box, and in a different position. I would have put the main nest box I have now there but with the porch area it's just too big to fit. Do you reckon using a dummy egg would encourage her that it's a safe nest box?

 

[austinbndr28]

Cheers but I have had this female nest (albeit unsuccessfully) before with a previous male. Although that was in the standard style of nest box, and in a different position. I would have put the main nest box I have now there but with the porch area it's just too big to fit. Do you reckon using a dummy egg would encourage her that it's a safe nest box?

I tried it didn't work but it doesn't hurt to try. I had 3 nest box for her of hollow logs and man-made wood duck boxes

 

[3BirdGirlz]

My mandarin didn't like the nest boxes either...she paced and kept looking up on the side of the shed like she was hoping a hole would appear there ....so I built another bigger box and put it on the side of my shed...she loved it at once and laid her egg a week later

 

[TheYeldman]

Ah ok, I can't really put a box where mine paces though coz one is right at the door

 

[TheYeldman]

I've seen them mating so does that mean she will definitely lay eggs?

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Mine started mating a lot and 3 weeks later she laid her first egg. But I have no idea if just because they mate she will produce eggs :/

 

[RingedTeal]

Just a quick question. I have a nest box in the mandarins' pen and it seems to be refusing to accept it. It's one of the covered porch type boxes with a couple of bricks creating a step to the entrance. The box is lined with wood shavings but the female really seems to hate it. She's been in a couple of times but mostly just walks from one end of the pen to the other and back again like a neurotic polar bear trying to find a way out (and presumably a more acceptable nest site). I cobbled together an other nest box yesterday to see if she'd take to that one; it's a more standard type box, deeper with no porch. I filled that with straw as that's the only bedding I have handy. She hasn't looked at that yet and continues to walk from one end of the pen to the door and back looking for a way out. The male keeps trying to persuade her to go in the original box to no avail. This happened last year as well and she didn't end up laying any eggs at all, but I presumed this was to do with having a new younger mate. Do you think she will settle, or is there anything else I can do?

Cheers

Are your nests off the ground ? Because Mandarins are cavity nesters. If it's not I would probably put it about 4-6 feet off the ground.