Wild duck production?

[DANNY]

I have 10 prs. of wood ducks. Most of them are mutations like silver, white and apricot. I have only had 2 to nest. Why? Does other people have this problem? I have 3 prs. of white mandarins and have one clutch of babies and one sitting. I also have others that have not produced. widgeons and others. How is everybody else doing?

 

[DANNY]

Does nobody else have wood ducks or mandarins?

 

[ShadyGlade]

Try the search box to find the folks with them. I've read about them on other threads so I know that there are plenty of people on BYC with them. Might just be that none of them has seen this yet?

 

[Sebrightmom]

I don't have any but want some. I hope someone answers your question. I am trying to learn about them.

 

[DANNY]

I guess everybody else must be having bad luck too and don't want to talk about it.

 

[giffy]

A couple of things, 10 pair of Wood ducks requires a very large pen.........also other breeds may be interfering, because of overcrowding. If they are pinioned, do they have access to the boxes......Insufficient number of nest boxes is another cause, outside interference..........example and dog or other domestic animals that are around the pen too much. Wood ducks hatched late don't always breed that first year. There are alot of factors.

I have one pair of Wood ducks and one pair of Mandarins in a pen that is 14 x 40 x 7' tall, and the other section is 14 x 20.........it is "L" shaped. I have 5 nest boxes for the two pair.

Hope this helps
giffy
--------------------------
GiffsFarm

 

[DANNY]

I don't think space and nest boxes is the problem. They are in a 30 x60 aviary with extra nest boxes. But at this point i just don't know.

 

[cawooduck]

Danny,

I am experiencing the same thing in my pen with the four pairs of woodies. I thought things were going to get going when i had 4 eggs in one box, but she stopped laying and after 4 days i pulled the eggs and put them under a broody bantam hen, i candled them a couple days ago and they all have veining, so fertility isnt an issue.

My mandarins, and some ring teal and my hen pintail are all on nests right now, my greenwings havnt started and neither have my cinnamons.

I thought maybe this year was just running late with the woodies, but i inspected my wild wood duck project and have a lot of eggs laid up there, so i dont know what to say!! I'd rather have successful hatches out of the wild woodies anyhow, and it looks like i may break over a hundred babies hatched on the project this year!!

Who knows, maybe things will pick-up for both of us in our pens this month!!...............Jason