Duck destroying eggs

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briggsy
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Duck destroying eggs

Post by briggsy »

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone has come across this problem. Our best layer (Blondie) has started destroying her eggs. She does not eat them just pecks a hole in them.
This has been going on for about 6 months now. I tried putting golf balls in the nest to try and confuse her but that has not worked.
I now have two new ducks who should be coming into lay soon and I am a bit worried they will follow her lead.
Any suggestions?

Grannyof4
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by Grannyof4 »

It's a pain when chickens do that. All you can do is try and get the eggs out of the box before she attacks, unless she is doing it straight away after laying. I kept ducks for many years and never had a problem with them attacking their eggs. I did keep my ducks separate from the chickens because a) they had a pond and chickens don't always realise they can't swim b) ducks make such a mess I didn't want the chickens wading around in duck sh*t!!
briggsy
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by briggsy »

Thanks for the reply.
Unfortunately she is doing it as soon as she lays. Occasionally I have managed to distract her in time, but I can't hang around the duck coop each morning waiting, so I need to try and find another solution.
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KarenE
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by KarenE »

I haven't had this problem myself with my chickens, but I know that some people have rollaway nest boxes where the egg rolls away once it's laid, so that the chickens (I assume it would work for ducks too) can't get to it to peck it. If you google rollaway nestboxes or do a search through the forum, you should come up with some ideas on how to do it

Others have suggested mustard in the eggs but I'm not sure that works
Karen
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briggsy
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by briggsy »

Thanks again for the post.
Unfortunately ducks are not like chickens, they lay their eggs wherever they feel like!
Also, I suspect if she did decide to use it she would line it with straw and the egg would not roll. I could try to fashion something that is set up as a lovely looking straw lined nest. I think it is habit now so possibly a couple of days without access to her egg she may forget.
Hmm, will give that some thought.
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kitla
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by kitla »

A couple of years ago a lady here found a way to stop her chickens egg eating. She rigged up a curtain on the nestbox to make it dark inside & the egg eating stopped. Though if your duck doesnt use a nestbox that wont help!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
briggsy
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by briggsy »

Yes, I've heard of that one.

Our girls are in a large caged enclosure and the hut door stays open so they put themselves to bed or not as the mood takes them so unfortunately I can't try that technique.
Grannyof4
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by Grannyof4 »

I totally misunderstood your post. I read it that you were getting ducks and not that it was a duck doing it already. Sorry.
briggsy
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Re: Duck destroying eggs

Post by briggsy »

No problem...

This morning I was gifted with a pristine undamaged egg, so maybe she reads this forum!

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