Nesting box size (ducks)

[Crazy4Fowl]

How big does a duck nesting box need to be? They may be hatching eggs with babies in them.

 

[Sfraker]

In my experience no matter what size I use they avoid the boxes an lay in a corner of the coop.

I previously used plastic milk crates from Lowes set on their side with lots of straw inside. The girls started laying in them and it looked like they had plenty of room.

All of a sudden they started moving their nests around. It is most likely because we are taking the eggs. Nowadays, I look for suspicially clean areas and straw, remove the top layer and find eggs hidden.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

In my experience no matter what size I use they avoid the boxes an lay in a corner of the coop.

I previously used plastic milk crates from Lowes set on their side with lots of straw inside. The girls started laying in them and it looked like they had plenty of room.

All of a sudden they started moving their nests around. It is most likely because we are taking the eggs. Nowadays, I look for suspicially clean areas and straw, remove the top layer and find eggs hidden.

Ok thanks. I hope my ladies will lay in the boxes I don't want to have to search for them.

 

[needlessjunk]

Good luck! I don't have any experience in this just yet, but most ducks just lay where they are. So I would put a nesting box in and try to train them but don't expect them to take to it like chickens. I just hope mine lay in the coop or else my dogs will eat them if they are around the yard.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine just make nest in the deep shaving I give them, I do have to use the pitch fork to un cover them they can sure hide them well.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing they will bury their eggs under the wood shavings. But if the eggs are fertile they will most likely make a nest and sit on them instead of burying them and losing them, right?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing they will bury their eggs under the wood shavings. But if the eggs are fertile they will most likely make a nest and sit on them instead of burying them and losing them, right?

Nope they will bury any of them if that's what they have been doing, then when one decides it's time to brood they will have their eggs right there ready to cook.

 

[Sfraker]

I agree with Miss Lydia. Mine are all fertile and buried. I assume they are hiding them from predators (and me) or trying to insulate them from the cold.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

Nope they will bury any of them if that's what they have been doing, then when one decides it's time to brood they will have their eggs right there ready to cook.

So they sit on their eggs after they bury them? So do some fertilized eggs get lost during this process? What I might do is check an egg for the bullseye to see if its fertile. Then get all the eggs (I think) that are fertile. Put them in a nice area in a nest like thing, will they lay on them or roll them out. Sometimes the chickens will roll out the eggs to where they want them. Sorry for all the questions, this is the first time we are breeding ducklings so any other info would help.

Edit: I read the @Sfraker said they assume they are trying to insulate the eggs from the cold. Well I live in Florida if that changes anything...

 

[Miss Lydia]

So they sit on their eggs after they bury them? So do some fertilized eggs get lost during this process? What I might do is check an egg for the bullseye to see if its fertile. Then get all the eggs (I think) that are fertile. Put them in a nice area in a nest like thing, will they lay on them or roll them out. Sometimes the chickens will roll out the eggs to where they want them. Sorry for all the questions, this is the first time we are breeding ducklings so any other info would help.

Edit: I read the @Sfraker said they assume they are trying to insulate the eggs from the cold. Well I live in Florida if that changes anything...

What mine do is lay until they get the amount they like it could be 4-whatever but usually the largest I've let them sit was 8. Once they begin to brood they will move the eggs around to their liking They'll cover them when they leave the nest come back rearrange the eggs. As far as you taking the eggs and putting the in a nice area and hoping they will brood them well it might be a nice area to you but maybe not to the duck. If the eggs are being laid in a secure location I'd go in when she is out and mark the eggs in there I use a washable marker. you can make it simple like 1- or date, then when she has finally laid all the ones she feels are enough and begins to brood you can go in and remove the nasty ones and oldest ones so she has a better chance at a good hatch. How many eggs in there now?