Domestic Duck Nesting

[stitch]

I have several ducks on the lake behind my house. One duck has made a nest in my back yard and has 7--8 eggs so far (lays one a day or so) but she is not sitting on them. Pardon my ignorance.......is she waiting until she gets a "full nest" before she sits on them or is something else going on here?

[champcaller]

You are right! She will only lay one, or sometimes, just two eggs a day and won't start incubation or laying on them until all the eggs are laid because she wants them to hatch at the same time. About 28-30 days later. Assuming it her first nesting attempt of the season I bet she has a few more to go!

Hope they make it!

[the doctor]

Interesting...always thought we were missing a great opportunity to increase populations by not supporting more residential type nesting environments and population. They can't all stay in the neighborhood. Nobody wants to shoot tamies but a duck is a duck that can make more ducks and we all want more ducks. Our pond churns out 30 - 50 a year and they all find homes elsewhere + it's not affected by anything more than kids and dogs. No politics, farm bill, danger of draining, danger of drought, very few predators...it consistently produces and there are lots of ponds that could be producing more with a little help.

the doc