Update...the female runner was taken by a coyote about 3 weeks ago. My husband has finally fenced the yard! Now down to the male Indian Runner and the female Rouen (who is setting on a clutch of 17 eggs in a new and safer spot) The eggs I brought in to incubate was doing great at 16 days until my pre-school moved the heat lamp. Sadly, I think they all died. It was 110F and I see no more movement or much progress (but can still see the blood veins)

I also have ducks, and in January we had some nice mild weather - everybody started mating and a few ducks laid eggs. Then when it cooled off a couple of ducks abandoned their nests. I have one who has slowly "lost" every egg out of her nest -she's been setting a long time on infertile eggs and they are starting to explode. Right now the weather has turned mild, but in order to get the girls to lay in the nest boxes, I have shut every one up in the coop with the chickes and two drakes. There isn't a bit of mating going on. The chickens are laying faithfullly, but the ducks are not. I have one duck on a nest who seems to be taking good care of her eggs, but she's older and a great mom. However she should have hatched out last week. The rest are young and didn't cover their eggs, left them to chill. So I'll have to search out the corners to find the eggs that are now potential sink bombs. I think it is normal for things to follow the weather and the amount of sunlight. I will let every one out for a few days to get some sun, then they will all go back into the coop until they decide to "get to business". I also have an incubator that I plan to fill with any 'stray' eggs. It is a fact that ducks can find some really odd hiding places for their nests. Under trees, sheds, inside boxes, We had one next and hatch sucessfully under my old mares feed box. I think the old mare liked that, she would dribble feed on the nest. Hope that helps. Kitty

Dumor makes an egg laying mixture, get that and you won't have the problem anymore. I had the two elements separated at first, and the tiny little shell fragments by themselves aside from the food is not going to make them want to eat it. My ducks didn't even bother trying to eat the shell pieces. They would eat the food around the shell mix and leave it alone. Dumor takes the shells and turns it into a powder so it blends in with the food and they eat it regardless. And they love it, youll see a big change in their interest to eat. The shells in the food that the specific manufacturer produces were so tough i had to pry them open after the whole egg was cracked all over. The membrane on the inside of the egg had to be torn through it was so well made. Theres not much else to say other than to use that feed. All ducks were laying eggs of that quality. They also need tons of water to produce them but it sounds like you have that covered. The food is formulated specifically for Ducks and Chickens. Other Full flock feeds contain a broad range of grains that Ducks sometimes don't need as its not what they eat naturally, but its food nevertheless and its in front of them so they eat it. Or parts of it. You also have to give them worms every now and then which contain protein. They go absolutely crazy over them. But youll have super healthy Ducks with this feed. Good luck with it/them...

There really isn't a set time table for laying. Years ago, I had Blues build complete nests in two different boxes and then they went elsewhere. I've read that sometimes first year breeders will take a bit longer to lay. I've had some that build a nest and there is an egg the day the nest is finished. My suggestion would be to be patient and see what they do. They may surprise you. You may end up with your first egg by tomorrow, or maybe next week, or maybe not at all. I'm hoping for tomorrow. Best of luck.