I have a rouen duck who has just started setting out in the trees behind our shed. Can I move her inside without disturbing her? I'm afraid something will get her. It is our first time with a setting duck and the kids are really excited. I would appreciate any input. I am new to this site and I really enjoy it.

-- Pam Stoltz (kps@athenet.net), May 08, 2002

Answers

Hi, Pam, maybe someone else could advise you differently, but in my experience you can't move a duck nest. If you try it they just abandon the whole business. If you think she is in danger there, and the kids are excited, :), why not get an incubator and take her eggs? Then she'd be safe and you'd get a chance at a hatch, too.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), May 08, 2002.

I've never moved a duck, and dont know if it would work. We have moved broody chickens by doing it at night, and putting a ventilated box over them for the first day. Incubating duck eggs is very tricky. The duck has a much better chance at it than you would. You are right to think that a sitting duck is in danger without some protection.

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), May 08, 2002.

Instead of moving her can you set a chicken tractor over her? My nephew did this with one of his broodies who set out in a field and it worked like a charm. If you don't have a tractor a cirle of fence would work, just bring security to her instead of moving her to it.

-- elliemae (elliemae@surfsout.com), May 08, 2002.

he above advice is spot on. If you move her she will probably just quit. I am assuming you have a drake also, LOL and if so just take her eggs,dispose of them, move her and the drake into a secure overnight pen/house and shortly she will lay and sit again. If you try and leave her where she is keep in mind that just a circle of fencing will not protect her. It will have to be fencing with small enough openings that predators cannot reach through(chicken wire will not do it)a good cover with protection from the elements. Once the ducklings are hatched out like this, then how do you protect them? Can't keep a clutch and the hen in a make shift pen forever, so might as well start right and let her "sit" in a proper pen with some protection. You can move her and the ducklings once they are hatched though. And they will need protecting, until they get at least 6 weeks old. I don't let my ducklings out on the pond and meadow until they can fly. Well, fully feathered, Rouens don't fly usually. Have fun, spring is great! LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 08, 2002.

I've had ducks set a couple of times out in a slash pile and behind the slash pile. I was concerned about coyotes, racoons, foxes etc, but when they set they are so quiet and camouflaged -- I could hardly find them. They have natural instincts which help them choose a safe place. After the ducklings hatched, I decided to let mama do her thing -- if she thought they were okay in the rain or puddles, I figured she knew what she was doing. And she did. One mama ran her duclings ALL over the place...it was like watching little fuzzy Charlie Chaplins scrambling around after her to keep up! It all worked out. So just let them be.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), May 09, 2002.