need duck nesting boxes

[Miss Lydia]

Nope....no snow yet

Pretty cold and rainy though.

The Muscovy flock don't care at all though.

My Muscovy's stand around like lawn ornaments when it's raining hard they look so funny. We're having lovely weather and all the flock is getting along so well I am in heaven.

 

[ducks and geese]

Pics anyone?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pics anyone?

Post 12

 

[ducks and geese]

Suggestions ??

 

[mulelover1999]

For my duck I use a dog house. One of the plastic dog loo ones and just put hay in it.

 

[ducks and geese]

Ok

 

[2go2scotland]

I also have questions about nesting boxes for ducks and have read with interest the replies posted here. We have 3 females that may be laying---a Mallard, a Black Swedish, and a Peking. they were all born on May 1st. We have had duck eggs--started having them with regularity about 3 weeks ago. However, I don't know which egg comes from which duck! I see that some people say they don't need nest boxes--and this was the case in the beginning. The eggs would be out there in their pen before they were left out in the morning. Then, we didn't have any eggs for days until my husband found a nest under a wood pile with seven eggs in it!

So--I thought to build a box for them to use. BUT--if I put it where they sleep at night--well, they don't go there all day. They go in our yard that is enclosed by a fence and predator proofed. They go in there automatically at about 5:30 PM (as it is getting darker here in Vermont now). Then, about an hour or two later, I herd them into their pen--which they go into very willingly and like little soldiers. But, during the day--they hang out -- free range--mostly on one side of the house. I have lain straw there and they always lay on that straw to take their naps. Their pools are out there as well.

What then? Should I put a nest box where they hang out? or in their pen? The other problem is I don't know if all 3 are laying or only one or what. I don't know whose eggs are whose. Yesterday, I saw the Mallard, Libby, laying in the nest, but when I saw her, my cat was with me and she jumped out of the nest. She left behind a medium sized green egg--which is what we always get. It was warm--but, I don't know if she had laid it or it was already in the box and warm from her sitting there. Once, we found a much smaller egg--sort of beige with speckles--and I assumed that was Libby's egg, but I've never seen another like it.

I can never catch the Peking or the Swedish "going off" someplace to lay and egg, but we do notice that Libby leaves the flock every morning for about a half hour and then returns.

We want the duck eggs! So--I'm thinking we need a nest box to encourage them to lay their eggs--just I don't know WHERE to put it--and I need to find out what their eggs look like.

HELP!

 

[Alaskan]

My muscovies would never be in their coop, except when I herded them in to get them to sleep there, and they still snuck inside to lay eggs there.

So, in your situation, i would make two nests, one in their coop/sleeping area, and one nest where they spend most of their day.