Young Duck's First Time

[Goat_Walker]

Ive got a young 7 month old female buff duck.
I was wondering if putting golf balls into her nesting box would encourage her to lay? I know that she is young, but I was wondering if it would help all the same?. Also, what would make a good nesting box for her besides a dog carrier?

She lives with 2 males ( one is old and crippled , so hes not a problem).
She also shares her home with 2 goats.
didnt know if that info mattered but thought I might put it out there. Goats like to climb on things and she might want to get away from the males.

Any and all advice is appriciated!

 

[asher]

You can use a milk crate for a nest.

A golf ball in the nest couldn't hurt.

What breed is she?

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

it stated above a buff duck...

 

[Goat_Walker]

Thanks, We have milk crates around , ill have to try those out. Im not sure if she could get in it if its turned right - side- up though. SHe is on the petite side.

I believe her full breed name is a buff Orpington. But Ive seen that used as a chicken breed? So im not sure if that is it. But when i type it in google pics of ducks like her pop up!.

 

[DuckLady]

We built nest boxes and lined them with straw when we felt they would be laying soon.

They preferred to drop the eggs just anywhere at first!

Now they are better at laying inside Ducklingham Palace, but we occasionally find eggs just dropped wherever in their yard.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I have a new problem. I set up a few "nesting boxes" in the yard, and the goats wont stay out of them! Either they stick their heads in and eat the hay or try to fit into them . It is so frustrating! And the rabbit and chicken coops off the ground cant be nesting boxes because those are already goat territory.

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

watch you don't hatch one of theses! LOL

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:

sorry that sounds so funny - I can totally see my goat trying to fit his BIG LUMP body into a nest box

Do your ducks not have a separate area to sleep or anything? you might need to make something to keep a space for the ducks where the goats can't squeeze in.

 

[penelope77]

the breed is just "buff". they jsut named them after their color. we are getting some as soon as we find some. i would imagine she would start laying anytime now. isn't 6 months the average age for laying for most of them. maybe she's a late bloomer. so out of curiosity are they as pretty in person as they are in pictures?

 

[LV426]

Honestly my ducks have a doghouse, nesting boxes, a straw filled pen and yet they still drop their eggs wherever until they decide to be broody and then I have to look everywhere for their eggs because they will hide them. Under bushes, in the flower beds, under the porch, even in an old basket that was out by the fence. They never have used the nesting boxes but I find that if you make a nest in the corner of their pen with a heap of straw and a hollow depression in the center they are more likely to use that.

Oh and the breed is Buff Orpington. It's an English breed.