We live on a hill on a lake. We have a duck pen, but it is slanted. We have 3 hens & 3 drakes. They have been mating when I let them out every day to go in the lake. I have 2 dog houses in the pen as nesting areas, after I saw our first egg broken since it was not laid in the dog house I put some hay and wood chips in the dog houses hoping she would make nest.
She laid all of her eggs outside of the dog house. All of the remaining eggs rolled down the hill, but were not damaged. They were not in safe place so I made a nest in the dog house where it looked like a duck had laid it there and have been putting the eggs in the nest. She did not lay one today and is not sitting on the eggs. Does she know where the eggs are?
Generally when eggs are moved the duck will think a predator did it. She wont be laying on those eggs. Hopefully you will have better luck next time
I agree with Judy about your hens not going to the eggs after they were moved.
You do not say if the hens were using the dog houses before laying the eggs and that would probably be the first start - making sure they are using the area intended for their nest. Was there straw and stuff for making a nest available in the pen?
Maybe next time you could isolate them in the pen for a while and get them more used to staying in this area. Sometimes you have to isolate them for a while even if you have to place a wading pool in their pen so they will build a nest where you want them to.
This link talks about what you are experiencing (it talks about Mallards, but my understnading from other reading is it is true across breeds):
The sad thing is everyone I know who raises ducks (I used to have a cousin duck) (or chickens for that matter) says it is G-d and Mother Nature whose rules are followed...sadly for us, not the humans who try to assist.
Blessings to all!!
No, one should not move duck eggs. Perhaps you can call someone in your area that knows about ducks to ask them what you should do for future reference. :)
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
She has 8 eggs in her nest. I understand what you said about when she will start sitting. My question is when do the eggs start progressing?
From day 1 or when she starts sitting full time?
From the time she starts sitting. She will sit when she has laid the last egg of the clutch.
I hope I am understanding your question. Are you asking how long it takes from laying to catching? If so it is usually 28 days. Wishing the new feather family blessings!!!
Check out these photos.
This photo is a shot of my Pekin Ducks as they swim in the pond full of reflections of the fall colored leaves. They are so pretty gliding across the pond and coming to my side of the pond to get something to eat.
