Where are my ducks laying their eggs?

[petitesphinx]

We let our runner ducks into our pond and we were getting 2 eggs each morning (from 2 ducks) while they were in our barn. Now, they're free to stay at our pond, but we have yet to find their eggs!


We walked all around the pond and can't find a nest. Does anyone have an idea of how to find where they're laying and how to get them to lay in one place?

We have 5 female runners now, so there's quite a few eggs someplace.

Thank you!!

This is the duckhouse we built, it's door is smaller for the baby ducks, but none of them use it. If we made the opening larger, would the runners use and possibly lay in there?

 

[henjoy]

We had that problem with our runner duck too. At first she laid faithfully in the barn and then decided to make herself a new nest. We found the nest by watching her every morning when we first let her out. It would be harder for you with more ducks, though. When we found the nest, we marked the old eggs in the nest and then gathered the fresh egg every day. That way she returned to the nest of old eggs every day and we got the fresh one. Now it is getting light later and I let them out later in the morning so she is back to laying in the barn. Good luck with your egg hunt.

 

[francisfarms]

you are so lucky you have such a beautiful pond. I am so jealous. I only get water in my pasture when the river rises. I would love to get a pond in there.

 

[Katy]

In answer to your question about the duck house. No, I don't think making the door larger will get them to use it. They probably won't ever use it unless you pen them in it for an extended period of time until they are conditioned to think of it as home. My ducks are penned all the time and rarely use their house. They prefer being outside no matter what the weather is like.