Duck eggs in garden

[DVR V8]

Hi all. This is rare, usually do car stuff but I need advice. Mrs Duck has decided to lay eggs in my back garden in the undergrowth. Advice very welcome.

[Arrivalist]

Leave them alone and soon you’ll have a load of lovely ducklings. Mrs Duck will then walk them to the nearest water source.

Happened in my garden a few years back - magical it was.

[geeks]

Yeah leave them be, they will hatch in about 4 weeks and be gone

[DVR V8]

Thanks for replying. There is a big park about 300 yards away with a large lake, will the ducklings make it there? Regards.

[Evanivitch]

DVR V8 said:

Thanks for replying. There is a big park about 300 yards away with a large lake, will the ducklings make it there? Regards.

Yes. Ducks often lay eggs some distance away from the waters and then make a big journey back to the water. Often see people helping ducklings off balconies or crossing roads.

[DVR V8]

Thanks everyone. Regards.

[oddman]

Don't be surprised if Mr Fox, mink, badger, stoat, cats etc. have other ideas. The reason they have large and multiple clutches is to win the numbers game against predation.

[Arrivalist]

DVR V8 said:

Thanks for replying. There is a big park about 300 yards away with a large lake, will the ducklings make it there? Regards.

Mine was about 1.5 miles away from the Thames. We walked with them, as did other locals, to make sure they didn’t get run over.

[davidexige]

DVR V8 said:

Hi all. This is rare, usually do car stuff but I need advice. Mrs Duck has decided to lay eggs in my back garden in the undergrowth. Advice very welcome.

Ours started hatching yesterday after 28 days, five so far.

[moorx]

davidexige said:

Ours started hatching yesterday after 28 days, five so far.

[butchstewie]

DVR V8 said:

Thanks for replying. There is a big park about 300 yards away with a large lake, will the ducklings make it there? Regards.

Probably yes because assuming they stick around a few days you'll find yourself getting increasingly protective and turning into a sort of Duckling Lollipop man

They also aren't always smart enough to figure out fences and things that stop ducklings getting out of a garden.

[davidexige]

Sorry for a bit of a thread high jack we’ve moved her and the ducklings into the stable, they’ll probably stay there for a week or so then hopefully move them to an outside run for a couple of weeks, after that they’ll be let out to free range.

[DVR V8]

Hi. Quick update. Lady duck seems to have left with 5 eggs covered up. Will she be back to lay more before she starts incubating so they hatch at the same time or has she abandoned. Regards.

[Arrivalist]

DVR V8 said:

Hi. Quick update. Lady duck seems to have left with 5 eggs covered up. Will she be back to lay more before she starts incubating so they hatch at the same time or has she abandoned. Regards.

Yep, she’s probably going to lay some more and is probably having a break and something to eat. The covering up the eggs is the clue.

When she starts incubation she will still leave for short breaks to eat.

[goldieandblackie]

Hopefully Mr Fox doesn't catch site of them.

[LimmerickLad]

goldieandblackie said:

Hopefully Mr Fox doesn't catch site of them.

We've lost 6 ducks and 3 bantams in the last 2 weeks with the fox coming within a few yards of the house even during the daytime to take them!

[goldieandblackie]

Hopefully Mr Fox doesn't catch site of them.

[netherfield]

I walk our dogs around the local Reservoir, around now the ducklings appear, then one by one disappear. Local birdwatcher who's there everyday tells me it's the Pike in the Res that take them usually.

[geeks]

netherfield said:

I walk our dogs around the local Reservoir, around now the ducklings appear, then one by one disappear. Local birdwatcher who's there everyday tells me it's the Pike in the Res that take them usually.

Yeah there used to be a big pike that would take the ducklings where I grew up as a kid, one day all the locals who enjoy fishing decided they were going to catch it, my grandad got it in the end, I have a picture of it with him looking proud, cant remember how much it weighed but it was massive!