Well from reading all this, it looks like I'm doing the right thing! Yay!
I have both of my females who have laid eggs and my khaki cambell has been the one sitting on the nest the most. She has her nest underneath the chaise lounge chair and it's against the wooden fence so she's blocked from behind and also any strong winds from the north. She's getting really protective now because she will hiss at me when I get the water tub that I put by her. I just talk calmly to her and let her know that I'm trying to help. I also have a little dog dish that I put by the water with just a little food in it and when I feed them peas and kale and grapes I make sure I toss some in her direction so she can eat them while she's still on the nest. I have the option of the chain link dog kennel to move the babies in once they hatch if the boys are too rough but so far they seem to be helpful and even sit on the nest when the girls want to splash in the fresh water.
As far as rodents I'm only seeing mice but I'm going to try what I read on here. Someone said they put traps under a milk crate with a rock on top and the ducks couldn't get their bills into it so they were alright. There are these traps that we use by Vector I think and they are big and black and remind me of a hair claw and you just squeeze the other end and the mouse will drop right out into the trash. I can deal with these better than the little wooden ones! (whimp) lol
Most of the time the peanut butter is still in there so all you have to do is click it back open!
Good luck to all the new "mommies" out there!
I have both of my females who have laid eggs and my khaki cambell has been the one sitting on the nest the most. She has her nest underneath the chaise lounge chair and it's against the wooden fence so she's blocked from behind and also any strong winds from the north. She's getting really protective now because she will hiss at me when I get the water tub that I put by her. I just talk calmly to her and let her know that I'm trying to help. I also have a little dog dish that I put by the water with just a little food in it and when I feed them peas and kale and grapes I make sure I toss some in her direction so she can eat them while she's still on the nest. I have the option of the chain link dog kennel to move the babies in once they hatch if the boys are too rough but so far they seem to be helpful and even sit on the nest when the girls want to splash in the fresh water.
As far as rodents I'm only seeing mice but I'm going to try what I read on here. Someone said they put traps under a milk crate with a rock on top and the ducks couldn't get their bills into it so they were alright. There are these traps that we use by Vector I think and they are big and black and remind me of a hair claw and you just squeeze the other end and the mouse will drop right out into the trash. I can deal with these better than the little wooden ones! (whimp) lol
Most of the time the peanut butter is still in there so all you have to do is click it back open!
Good luck to all the new "mommies" out there!
