Hi All
Here is cheeky duck this morning, she has been in and out of the garden borders for a few days now. I think she is looking for somewhere to lay eggs. (Hope she does'nt use the bird table!)
Last year she laid her eggs in a garden wall at the front of our house and we were woken up one morning at 5o'clock ! there was such a quacking going on as she was trying to guide her chicks through our next door neighbours front garden so she could take them down to the canal, but their gate was locked and they could'nt get through, so my husband had to go and knock them up to get them to open the gate. Luckily we have nice neighbours and they were only too happy to open the gate.
She seems to be late laying this year, could it be because of the bad weather we have had ? has anyone got ducks sitting on eggs ?
What a wonderful world :))
Hi ilovebirds,
i have 4 pet ducks, a pair of white Indian Runners, one female Aylesbury and a female Runner/Campbell cross. The Aylesbury has laid at least 2 eggs per week all winter, and about 3 weeks ago started once again laying one a day, the other two have only just started laying this week, so I am getting 3 eggs per day now. I don't know if it is the same for the wild ones but ours will not sit on the eggs till she has about 12-14 in the nest. At the moment I am busy baking cakes with mine and giving them away.
Chez
You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!
Hi Chez
I love Indian Runner Ducks, I think they look really funny (hope that's not an insult to them !). Our garden backs onto the canal so we have lots of wild ducks visiting, also moorhens and swans. Our daughter got 2 rescue chickens last year, they have been laying really well since then. She brings us lots of eggs as well, so I also make cakes, banana cake is favourite at the moment. Mind you I have never cooked with a duck egg !
Would love to see pic's of your ducks if you have any.
Linda
Hi ilovebirds
Yes the Runners do look funny - like walking bowling pins!
The eggs are very similar except twice the size! The pic is of the ducks and a few of my chickens. The Aylesbury is hiding behind a chicken!!
Sorry been trying for ages the pics won't load. Am going away working tomorrow for a few days so will try later in weeks - sorry again.
From this end, we have recieved whole manner of reports of them nesting and sitting on eggs - not always in the most idela of locations! In common for them to set up shop in gardens but also several calls have related to them nesting high up on balconies in some instances several floors up :-s Sfter breeding they tend to lay one a day until a full clutch is laid )10-12 eggs. Sometimes though this can be offset if there is a sudden cold snap. Once the last egg is lad the female will then begin to incubate them for 28 days, ensuring they all hatch at roughly the same time and also levlling up the potential competition between the young.
I have attached our information leaflet on "ducks and ducklings" which may be of use to you!
L