Mallard tube nesting box.

[dj1701]

I just finished redoing the Mallard nesting tube. It will go in the pond as soon as I get my waders in the mail. Not freezing the boys off this year.

Anyone else make duck boxes? Would love to see what you all come up with.

 

[oosik]

Interesting. Around here the Mallards nest up on dry land. They may also make nests down in the cattails once the young have hatched. I've always wondered about the dry land nests for their eggs. Very exposed to all forms of predators. However - they do survive. I always have several families on my lake.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I have wood duck houses set up around my pond. Once of these days I want to build some sort of island for my mallards so they can live out on my pond.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm using the tops of plastic dog houses. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow. They are also nesting under the steps to my barn.

 

[EddieWalker]

Here is what I put out for my mallards. There are two rubber feed bowls inside each house with wood chips in them. I have four houses around my pond that the mallards are using. Some of them just lay their eggs and leave, a few are sitting and we're leaving them alone.

The two under the steps have been sitting since the first of the month. We are hoping for babies next week.

These are wild mallards that where raised on a farm, so they don't fly away when we're around, but they keep their distance from us. They act more like the birds you see at the Park that are used to people being around all the time.

 

[bigtiller]

I'm using the tops of plastic dog houses. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow. They are also nesting under the steps to my barn.

That's a good idea.
I have one of those dog houses, I think I will set one on my windbreak and see what happens. There is a lot of critters out there.

Did you stake/weigh them down with anything to keep them from blowing away?

 

[EddieWalker]

That's a good idea.
I have one of those dog houses, I think I will set one on my windbreak and see what happens. There is a lot of critters out there.

Did you stake/weigh them down with anything to keep them from blowing away?

I have the open end facing East. All our storms come from the West, and I’m hoping the wind doesn’t pick them up that way. They are just sitting on the ground. We collect the cold eggs every day. This is the first time doing this and only one of the houses has a duck sitting on eggs.

 

[OldMcDonald]

Many years ago I had a mallard nest on open moorland about 600' a.s.l. and no water within several miles.

More recently, in Portugal, we had a river as the boundary not far below the house. Mallards, maybe half a ozen a year, nested in thickets within probably about 20 yard of the river. Downstream and in view was a waterfall with a big drop. Very interesting to see the ducks go downstream with th elittle ones, fly over at the last moment, and let the ducklings take their chance. Unfortunately we could not see the downstream outcome.

 

[dj1701]

Don't the coyotes and other predators get to them?

 

[EddieWalker]

There is a fence with 3 rows of hot wire around the pasture with the small pond in it. The pond is about 3/4 of an acre and close to my barn. The ducks steal the chicken feed all night long while the chickens are asleep, and then some during the day. Ducks are always hungry!!!