Nesting boxes - they are done pictures added

[katharinad]

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[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Those will be nice. I use kitty litterboxes with lids. The girls seem to like the privacy

 

[katharinad]

I was thinking of the litter boxes with lids, but they all seem to be to high for them getting in. I can build the woodwork higher and put a hinged roof on it. That way I can clean it out and get the eggs easily. Something to think about.

 

[dieselgrl48]

They should work nicely.However I have found not every duck will lay egg's in Boxes.We had a few BIG wooden boxes We got from a friend from horse stable and converted them into boxes for the duck's and geese.They had removable lid's and only had to put a piece of 2X4 across the open end bottom.I still had some hen's that just wanted to have egg's behind feed can's or the like.I would just pile a little hay or a nice pile of shaving's in those area's for them.I had one hen that laid egg's in the top of an open bag of bedding stored in there for a good while lol.My Geese just made a dirt trough in there and sat egg's in 3 different clutches.I wont ever go overboard with laying waterfowl again.They pretty much tend to do thing's their own way.

 

[katharinad]

Oh, I realize that they may do it wherever. My duckhouse does not give them many options. They have 10x10' and nothing else is in there, besides the food and water and the one box. Right now they all want the one box. So I figured I will make 4 boxes for the 8 girls. They can share if they like. I can always build more, if I need to. I use a lot of scrap wood, so it does not really cost me a lot of money. Or I buy cheap pine wood if I need to.

 

[katharinad]

I did build the community nesting boxes today. I've decided against a roof, because I was short on wood and didn't feel like driving 1/2 hour to town to buy some more. I'm using small kitty litter pans from Walmart. They can be removed and washed as needed. Nests were filled with pine shavings and a ceramic training egg each. Man they will be surprised tonight. I already hear them chatting dirty about it.

 

[chikky]

Those turned out great!

 

[katharinad]

I forgot to remove the tape on the left hand side where the wood glue was to get the two pieces together. Well it is off now. The ducks freaked out. They went into the duck house and started quacking immediately and were turning around to get the heck out of there. I closed the duck door on the remaining ducks inside and got the 3 that got back out around the side to the human door. Made them go in there and closed the door. Man they were having a fit inside when I left. Ah well, they will get over it tonight. Crazy ducks.

 

[BirdBrain]

Those look great. Is there any reason why they could not brood a clutch in there? I have muscovies and was wondering if boxes like that would do well for my girls.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Its funny have the can freak out at such a small change in their homes. I often have a few that wont go in the doorway if I have left something too close to the path they walk to the night pens. I went in and gave the shed a huge clean out recently getting rid of a small fridge that was just inside the doorway - that night I had a shocking time getting them in- and that was when something was removed not added !!!

Those nesting boxes look great. I sure hope they get used to the idea and use them all. My ducks seem to prefer one box at the moment. I get 5 eggs each morning. 4 in one box and one lone egg in another. It kind of makes me wonder why I built them 5.