Wild ducks have laid eggs in my plant pot!
Discussion
Mr E said:
I have a pigeon nesting in my pergola.
I also have 2 cats. One of which sleeps in the pergola on occasion.
I am expecting murder at some point.
We have a pigeon nesting in our wisteria at the front door. Clearly the designer of the nest wasn’t the brightest pigeon (which is saying something!) as its only 4 feet off the floor! I also have 2 cats. One of which sleeps in the pergola on occasion.
I am expecting murder at some point.
Plus the fact we keep coming and going through the front door (nasty inconsiderate b
ds that we are) the feathered div flys off in a clatter of wings, which always nigh on gives me heart failure! Edited by nadger on Tuesday 12th May 19:16
Thanks for all the replies etc.
To answer some of the points raised:
I've checked on google maps and I'm pretty sure the closest body of water is a large lake, maybe between 0.5 and 1 mile away.
I will try cutting up an old rug tomorrow and drape a bit it over the paddling pool
Yes, foxes are undoubtedly around although I haven't actually seen one yet (I have seen a badger though!)
If I am around when the ducklings hatch and mother duck ("Henrietta" as my missus has named her
) leads them away I will be duty bound to follow and chaperone 
Not much has changed. I have put a "ramp" up to the plant pot but Henrietta doesn't use it. I saw her return to the nest yesterday and she just jumped up onto the adjacent plant pot and stepped across:
I also took a sneaky pic of the nest whilst she was away:
I still don't know what ducklings eat, and what I can feed them with in case any get left behind etc. I've read that ducks need to eat stones to grind and breakdown the food that they eat. If I am left with any abandoned eggs or any ducklings that Henrietta leaves behind, I want to know what I can get NOW ready to try and feed them should the worst happen.
Cheers
To answer some of the points raised:
I've checked on google maps and I'm pretty sure the closest body of water is a large lake, maybe between 0.5 and 1 mile away.
I will try cutting up an old rug tomorrow and drape a bit it over the paddling pool
Yes, foxes are undoubtedly around although I haven't actually seen one yet (I have seen a badger though!)
If I am around when the ducklings hatch and mother duck ("Henrietta" as my missus has named her
) leads them away I will be duty bound to follow and chaperone Not much has changed. I have put a "ramp" up to the plant pot but Henrietta doesn't use it. I saw her return to the nest yesterday and she just jumped up onto the adjacent plant pot and stepped across:
I also took a sneaky pic of the nest whilst she was away:
I still don't know what ducklings eat, and what I can feed them with in case any get left behind etc. I've read that ducks need to eat stones to grind and breakdown the food that they eat. If I am left with any abandoned eggs or any ducklings that Henrietta leaves behind, I want to know what I can get NOW ready to try and feed them should the worst happen.
Cheers
Edited by Toilet Duck on Wednesday 13th May 19:17
I wouldn't worry about the ramp. The duck got up there to lay her eggs, she doesn't need it. When the ducklings fledge, they'll just jump. They bounce pretty well.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advic...
https://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advic...
Today about 40 metres away from Henrietta's plant pot lair I found a broken egg on the grass:
It looked slightly more "blue" than the pics show, I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure it's a duck egg (looked to be the right size). Henrietta has been on her nest everyday and is in the plant pot as I type this. The broken egg looks to have been "carried" to where I found it and then opened as I can see dried yolk on the grass (visible in second pic above). Also, the egg looks like it was opened from the outside as the shell breaks inwards. I can't check/count the eggs in the nest unless Henrietta goes off for a while, but I think she is only taking breaks when it's dark (she is there 1st thing in the morning and still there at dusk, we don't see her leave).
If this is from her nest, I'm guessing a fox has carried it away and then eaten the insides? But if that's the case, surely it would have ate the lot (including Henrietta)? I can't think what else could have "carried" the egg away intact and then broken into it?
It looked slightly more "blue" than the pics show, I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure it's a duck egg (looked to be the right size). Henrietta has been on her nest everyday and is in the plant pot as I type this. The broken egg looks to have been "carried" to where I found it and then opened as I can see dried yolk on the grass (visible in second pic above). Also, the egg looks like it was opened from the outside as the shell breaks inwards. I can't check/count the eggs in the nest unless Henrietta goes off for a while, but I think she is only taking breaks when it's dark (she is there 1st thing in the morning and still there at dusk, we don't see her leave).
If this is from her nest, I'm guessing a fox has carried it away and then eaten the insides? But if that's the case, surely it would have ate the lot (including Henrietta)? I can't think what else could have "carried" the egg away intact and then broken into it?
Mr Pointy said:
Magpie maybe? They can slaughter a whole nest.
I fking detest magpies, loathsome nest robbing vermin in my book. I did wonder if it was a magpie/crow/jay etc, but I wouldn't have thought they could carry the egg away before opening it? Judging by the dried yolk I'm sure the egg was opened where I found it. Also pretty sure it happened overnight as I've been in the garden pretty much all day lately and haven't seen/heard any commotion from the plant pot.
Rushjob said:
We fed Solo on chick crumb mixed with water.
Sorry, I don't know how I missed your post!! Thank you very much elanfan said:
Doubt it’s one of the duck eggs as there wouldn’t be any yolk in it as that’s what the baby duck grows from.
Sounds like Henrietta is a dedicated mum. Hope you’re leaving some feed close by for her. Has she tried the sex pond at all?
I thought it might be whatever is left inside the egg with the duckling. I assumed there would be some residual yolk/liquid of some sort? No joy with the sex pond unfortunately, despite draping a cut out section of old rug on the edge as suggested on here. Putting duck pellets in the pond didn't work either. Sounds like Henrietta is a dedicated mum. Hope you’re leaving some feed close by for her. Has she tried the sex pond at all?
I religiously leave bird feed out all over the place (and in feeders). I have been putting feed down by the sex pond and oven baking tray as I know Henrietta and her boyfriend (who has deserted her lately) were eating it there when they first started visiting. There is a mixture of duck/swan pellets, mixed wild bird seed, sunflower hearts, peanuts and crushed fat balls:
The pheasants and partridges are regularly stuffing their faces
:
actionjack said:
Any news?
Nothing to report really. Henrietta is spending all day on the nest, I never see her leave. She does shift her position so at least I know she is alive!On a side note, her boyfriend has started visiting again. However, the dirty slag has been bringing a new girlfriend with him. They have been hanging around the garden the last couple of days and bedding down under a tree at night. This is exactly what happened with Henrietta before she made a nest in the plant pot. If the new mother duck makes a nest somewhere and lays eggs I think I will die of stress!!!
Here they are (sorry for crappy pics but they won't let me near them):
Not sure why the pheasant is doing an impression of an Emperor Penguin:
Bit of an update! Early today, I spotted a broken egg kicked out of Henrietta's nest:
Later on, we could hear "squeaking" noises in the pot plant
Lo and behold, the ducklings have started hatching!!!! I don't want to disturb Henrietta (she hisses if we stop to look), but we think there are at least three ducklings so far under her feathers
Later on, we could hear "squeaking" noises in the pot plant
Lo and behold, the ducklings have started hatching!!!! I don't want to disturb Henrietta (she hisses if we stop to look), but we think there are at least three ducklings so far under her feathers
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