The Duck Thread

[Mashallaharabia]

We've had a couple disappear until we started locking them in a predator proof duckhouse at night. Coons, foxes, owls,hawks, possums, skunks, feral cats........
When we've had one get over the fence, it was always to be found on the other side, trying to get back in. They are flock birds and know there is safety in numbers.

 

[Ren2014]

We've had a couple disappear until we started locking them in a predator proof duckhouse at night. Coons, foxes, owls,hawks, possums, skunks, feral cats........
When we've had one get over the fence, it was always to be found on the other side, trying to get back in. They are flock birds and know there is safety in numbers.

Sorry to hear of the disappears. It can not be said enough how important it is to lock them up at night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry to hear of the disappears. It can not be said enough how important it is to lock them up at night.

X2 and have to looked all over for her?.

 

[Flappers]

X2 and have to looked all over for her?.

I have looked all over the area and in the neighbors yards. No signs. Hopefully she returns. If not, hopefully one of her eggs hatch to continue her legacy!

 

[subhanalah]

[quote name="Flappers" url="/t/737292/the-duck-thread/1980#post_13371272"]I have looked all over the area and in the neighbors yards.  No signs.  Hopefully she returns.  If not, hopefully one of her eggs hatch to continue her legacy!
[/quote]

We've had a couple disappear until we started locking them in a predator proof duckhouse at night.  Coons, foxes, owls,hawks, possums, skunks, feral cats........
When we've had one get over the fence, it was always to be found on the other side, trying to get back in.  They are flock birds and know there is safety in numbers.

Have you changed your user name?

 

[Flappers]

Have you changed your user name?

No, I have not changed my name. The other user has also experienced losses. But we are separate.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Do ducks like nest boxes?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Not here.

 

[Zombified]

I need some advice. One of my ducks stopped sitting, and another disappeared(I believe she was eaten, but I'm not certain, and have found no trace or evidence). I have some eggs in a makeshift incubator, like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ral-nest-incubation-experiment-1-so-it-begins only slightly different. If you read the later pages, my version is based on the fourth nest that Beekissed made using this method.

I'll copy and paste the post I made over on that thread.

I have a styrofoam box, filled with dirt, and leaves and feathers on top. My Mallard(the only broody one) was kind enough to lend me a few of her eggs and some of the softer feathers from her nest. I have a heating pad over the eggs, but there are two sun-warmed bricks on either side holding the heating pad so that it isn't laying on the eggs. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I remember you mentioning that you had better success when the heating pad wasn't actually touching the eggs.

I don't have an available thermometer, so I'm using my hand. No spray bottle (what the heck kind of home doesn't have a spray bottle?! My home) but I did take a slightly wet washcloth and kind of wrang it out over the eggs. They didn't get soaked, but each egg had a few good-sized drops on it. The heating pad I have does turn off automatically (ugh) but when I get the money, I'll buy a better one. This is going to have to do for now. It doesn't shut off every two hours or anything, just if it gets "too hot." I don't know what temperature that is. But I go to sleep pretty late and wake up pretty earlier anyways, so if it does turn off at night, it's unlikely the eggs will get more than a couple of hours of colder temperatures.

Any other advice you have?

 

[dutchbunny83]

I was starting to think it was just mine that didn't like nest boxes!

We have ducks that are 4 months old & haven't started laying yet, but before them we bought a "laying" duck from someone a few months back. They said she was a year old, I have no idea. Anyway, it was a good 2 months before she ever laid an egg, and it's always at night & in the middle of the run. The past month we've been getting like 5-6 eggs a week, one every morning from her, but she hasn't laid in a week. I know they are supposed to be seasonal layers (at least that's what he said), but a month worth of eggs doesn't seem like much. Is that normal? Should she start back up here soon?

Thanks! Still a newbie to ducks!!!