I placed my breeder boxes in with my wood ducks about the middle of Feb. I had one girl lay 5 eggs about a month ago. (She didn't even lay in the boxes, she laid in the dog house.) And they were infertile. Anyway, they hang out on top of their boxes and I haven't seen one inside and the shavings haven't been messed with either.. What gives? We have had a bit of wierd weather, kinda cold. It has been freezing at night a little. Could this have something to do with it? Or am I just not meant to have little ducks this year???
if you have changing temperatures and it freezes at night then they might have to wait until the weather warms up or you can make their nest box a little warmer so that it stays above freezing. good luck Btw my ducks just started laying when they started hanging out with my chickens where the coop is warmer.
Little Ducky I am having the SAME issue! I have given up entirely that they will lay this year. Mine too stand on top of the boxes and I think my woodie layed a couple eggs about 2 weeks ago (infertile) and then nothing. My breeder boxes have been in the aviary since OCTOBER, so these guys have no excuse. But I have made a bunch of changes lately and the weather has done a complete 180 - which even stopped my buff geese from laying. I took out all the call ducks last week and all my runners (except one pair) have also been removed. So the pen went from 21 birds down to 10. I have been watching ebay to see when the mandarins stop being a presale and I have only seen one so far that has started laying - so maybe there is still hope for us. We should keep this thread updated - I bet there are more people with wild ducks that have the same questions.
Im waiting for my mandarins to lay. This will be their 2nd spring, no eggs last year. Ive seen them mating and the girls do keep visting the nest boxes. I think that they start in april, depending on how warm you are.
I am glad to know that I am not the only one!!! I would like to know when other peoples Woodies and Madarins start to lay. Atleast your girls have been hanging out in their boxes mine haven't even tried. I even put perches outside the holes to encourage them to go in. Good luck to everyone else and lets hope for eggs!!
