Nesting Box?

[SolarDuck]

Just went out there to check on them and these 2 cuties were both jammed into the small nesting box cuddling and being adorable

 

[BigLar368]

We have 4 Welsh Harlequins that just started laying this last Tuesday (29th week). They sleep on the floor of the run as we live in a pretty mild climate that rarely gets below freezing and if it does it does not stay there very long. Anyways I tied 4-5 gallon buckets together and laid them on their side and filled them with straw. I also put a small lip on the buckets about 3.5" high to keep the straw in. All they do is pull all the straw out looking for food both the ducks and chickens. So far until this morning they have laid an egg where they sleep. One even laid an egg in a mud puddle so deep I could barely see the top of the egg. Our run is usually dry but we had a terrible rain that came down sideways and waterlogged the run. This morning I went out and found that all four had laid an egg. I found two in one of the buckets so I find that promising. If your ducks are sleeping in that nesting box I'm pretty sure they will lay their eggs in their as well. Best of luck to ya.

 

[SolarDuck]

I checked again this morning and the 2 fake eggs I put in the long green box were completely covered up with straw so at least one of my girls has some decent mothering instincts, not sure which one it is and still no real eggs

 

[Runner duck mom]

Just went out there to check on them and these 2 cuties were both jammed into the small nesting box cuddling and being adorable

Aww, they are too cute! What beautiful ducks you have.
I always consider it a big win when I set up something special for the ducks and they actually use it, lol

 

[SolarDuck]

The fake eggs worked! I went out this morning and right next to the fake ones sat my first real duck egg!!!!

 

[JNC]

My duck just lays on the floor. She lays on the back corner and covers them with a lot of hay. I put a golf ball in there for her to represent an egg but she didn’t like where I put it and ended up moving it.

 

[Runner duck mom]

The fake eggs worked! I went out this morning and right next to the fake ones sat my first real duck egg!!!!

That's awesome!

 

[FrankiesquarteracreFarm]

Mine do that too, especially in the spring. But if they are new to laying they usually lay all over the place. I don't think they know what is happening. The get better. It helps if you can leave them locked in until later in the morning.

I have a question on that my ducks are making a heck of a ruckus by 7am, am I going to have troubles with them laying in the yard? I can't keep them in much later than that. Their coop is all wired in and predator proof but it's pretty open and airy so I'm assuming they wake with the morning light and want out asap. Also I did build nesting boxes into the side of the pen. I use straw for the bedding in there and abm for the main floor. How often do you clean out the nesting box and does doing so risk spooking your duck from laying there?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I have a question on that my ducks are making a heck of a ruckus by 7am, am I going to have troubles with them laying in the yard? I can't keep them in much later than that. Their coop is all wired in and predator proof but it's pretty open and airy so I'm assuming they wake with the morning light and want out asap. Also I did build nesting boxes into the side of the pen. I use straw for the bedding in there and abm for the main floor. How often do you clean out the nesting box and does doing so risk spooking your duck from laying there?

I rarely clean their boxes, maybe once a month or so. Mine seem to try not to poop in them. As for timing, I just let mine out at 7:30 am to save the neighbors from the ruckus. Mine will go back in or stay in if they haven’t laid by then. You may want to put dummy eggs in your boxes when they start laying. It helps them get the hint.