Nest boxes for Muscovies?

[nissa_loves_cats]

I have a new pair of Muscovy ducks and finally have them in a pen to themselves. Do they need a nest box? What kind works best for Muscovies? Should I put a roost in their house for them? They are tree ducks, after all. Any advice from the experienced is welcome & needed!

 

[lovesduckies]

after having my ducks inside the house for 7 months, i moved them outside after we built them a pen. i put a little dog house in the pen and they don't go near it. they just like to roost. if you have predators i would lock them up at night time.

 

[nissa_loves_cats]

Mine are penned permanently, as I want to be able to find the eggs once the female gets around to laying them! Besides, free-ranging poultry is just too tempting to the local predators.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Yes, go ahead and provide a nest box. Since they are cavity nesters, a nest box with a top or placed under a shelf works well. Be sure to make it large enough. I use plastic bins that have lids and are open in the front. They do like roosts & one put in their pen would be appreciated by your Scovy.

 

[Bleenie]

I built some boxes for mine, actualy boxes with a circle cut out of the front(to one side). They really seem to like them and i have had 3 hens go broody in them.

 

[nissa_loves_cats]

What size nest do they need? (I'm going to use a plastic nest for now--- actually a covered cat pan--- that my turkey has used as a nest before, if a turkey can get into it a duck can) But it would be nice to know recommended dimensions for a nest.

 

[Red Maple Farms]

We built plywood 12" X 12" X 18" plywood nesting boxes with 8" diameter holes for our muscovy ducks. Recently we tried ~30 gallon $10 totes from Wal*Mart with good success.

 

[Bleenie]

I like the tote idea, the litter box should work well too, especially if a turkey used it before. My boxes were 24" x 12" x 12".

I used an open-top box in the past and the only problem i had was too much 'bedding', she would lose the eggs as they made their way to the bottom of the box & they'd eventually die because of lack of heat & no turning.

 

[nissa_loves_cats]

I was about to ask, why haven't my Muscovies used their perch yet, but then I remembered.... I clipped their wings to keep them from escaping from the pen..... I guess it will take them a while to realize they still can get up as high as their new perch is.

 

[Chris09]

I just use the plastic 55 gallon barrel with a 12" square hole cut in the side about 12" off the open end rim of the barrel and then I stick the barrel about 6" in the ground. (open end goes down)

Chris