new duck eggs, old duck question

17 years ago

The wood ducks are at it again, and one house has three shiny new eggs in the wood chips. I even had three come up to the bird feeder area one morning last week, which was an odd thing. I think they were far more interested in the old oaks off the bluff than the activity on the ground under the feeders. I suppose I will never get used to the sight of a duck with its "water feet" walking among the branches.

I got to remembering the sad turn of events at one of our boxes a few years back, and I cannot recall if I posted anything on here about it. Upon quietly checking on the progress of one brood, I discovered the hen was lying dead on the pile of eggs. It was a horribly nasty clean-up job, but I realized as I removed her decomposed corpse that the body looked intact and unravaged by anything. The eggs were all bad underneath her, and when I broke a few open I found that they had surely not been far from hatching.

I know that house sparrows will kill bluebirds and pierce eggs, as will some other birds such as wrens, but would a sparrow be able to kill a wood duck? I did not think to check the skull closely so anything will be purely speculation at this point, but other than just a freak natural death, what things might kill a duck in a box and not take any eggs? The boxes are coon proof but there will be an occasional rat snake make it up there.

The body was just lying there peacefully...had there been a struggle you'd think she would have died violently trying to get out or protect the eggs...

just curious.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

litholad
17 years ago
Maybe she died of lead poisoning. I know Ducks Unlimited have been pushing the use of non-lead shot because some duck species have become endangered from digesting lead shot.
lisa11310
17 years ago
I would be thinking lead poisoning too. Our Raptor rehabber is to let a Bald Eagle go this Sunday that nearly didn't make it, his lead levels were off the charts. This is the first one she has saved with such high levels. Certain lakes and areas around here have banned lead fishing and hunting ammo. I hope it is outlawed and no longer produced soon!
Related Discussions
Broody hen hatching duck eggs
Q
Comments (4)
It's been a while since the last post on this subject but I am in need of some imformation regarding a chicken hatching duck eggs. I bought twelve fertile mixed breed duck eggs off of ebay hoping to get my broody jersey giant hen to maybe hatch some out. All's fine so far; she's doing her job (it's only been a few days). She's four years old and has never even seen a rooster only her bunk mate she was raised with (a red sex-link). what I need to know first is why is she exibiting this behavior now and to such an extreme that she's been in the nesting box almost constantly for the last month and a half. Is she going to quit on me before any of the six eggs can hatch? The second thing I need to know is how successful am I going to be hatching out any of the remaining six in my homemade incubator when I am having trouble maintaining a constant temperature and humidity at least the first three days (I think I got a handle on it now) but has the damage already been done (too soon to candle). What are my chances as opposed to Isabel's (the hen) in getting any duck babies to hatch? Oh, one more thing about Isabel, she is a free range hen who would only come in the coop to eat and put herself to bed at nightfall and all I had to do is be there to close the door. Now she acts broody and strange when she once was a chatty, personable, happy girl. Was this the wrong tact to take, giving her fertile eggs? The reason I choose duck eggs is I didn't want to take the chance of getting a rooster (don't like 'em).
...See More
duck egg help
Q
Comments (4)
Hello- Thank you for your advice. The other egg did have a shape inside and we could see it moving when candled before it got so big. It doesn't smell at all. We had another egg that died about 1/2 way through and it was gray and smelly. We did get it out quickly as we have a very eager 7-year-old who looks at the eggs multiple times a day just to make sure they are still in there! : ) The questionable egg is larger and a different color than the peeping egg. We were wondering if maybe it was a Muscovy duck and could take a little longer. mary
...See More
duck eggs in the cold
Q
Comments (8)
Hello and thanks much for the replies. Patrick, they do have a shelter (a chicken coupe... or duck house now :) ) and we have a chicken wire fence around a very small yard around it but when they got old enough, we let them out (you're right... we started with four and the dog got two of them before we made her understand that these ducks are not for eating and she now protects them as members of the 'pack' ). We have food and water and a little kiddy wading pool inside the fence for them but they bolt out of there as soon as they see us coming to shut them in and the male has discovered a way (probably over the top) to get out of the fence. We shut them in the duck house a couple of nights but it took alot of chasing them around to get them to go in there. Any suggestions? I was hoping that maybe between the nest dug into the ground, her feathers and leaves, the protection from the wind, and her body heat they may survive ... but no? She is really protective of her nest. I even dug a little place in the bedding in thier building and put the first scattered eggs into them (which have now been blown out and used for pysanky) and shut them in the building for a couple nights (which is equipt with a heat lamp) but they seem uninterested in it. Maybe I should move her eggs (even if they are not 'viable') into the building along with her nesting materials??? and turn on the heat lamp... I almost hate to encourage her to lay more eggs in a nest that is not in the building.
...See More
my duck ia attacking the other duck!
Q
Comments (23)
Thanks for sharing your duck story 13 years ago. We just moved into an apartment with a duck pond 50' from our back porch and it's got all different kinds of ducks and geese. The ducks are nicer and there are different ones, ratty ones, mean ones, wussy ones, skinny ones, fat ones...very often a new gang of teenie tiny ones under mom's feets. They're always fighin for territory or humpin each other. It is quite the backyard reality show. The geese are another story, there is this one that looks different than the rest and he's always causing trouble with the ducks. He's the alpha goose and he doesn't let anyone forget it for a minute. Somebody needs to mess his 6.75lb feathered butt up. Alpha goose pic included.
...See More
chinamigarden
17 years ago
Duck Hunters have not been allowed to use lead shot in the USA for many years.

Its possible that the wood duck, just died from old age. Its also possible that it was injured in any number of ways, hit by a car, attacked by another animal, snake... It could be any number of things. I doubt it would be a sparrow.

I am sure it was a very disturbing event for you, and I would not wish is on anyone.
Elly_NJ
17 years ago
They do use lead, regardless of laws. Rehabbers deal with this regularly. But Wood ducks are not divers or grazers (like Canada geese), so not sure from what source the lead would come.

Possible she was poisoned? Or shot, and made it back to the nest? I don't think sparrows would/could kill even a little duck like a Wood duck.

Sad to find that.

Dirtgirl, may I make a suggestion, though? I say this every spring and summer, and people hate me for it, but I know you will not. I do not think it's ever a good idea to check bird nests that are accessible to predators, or that do not need to be maintained (like bluebirds). I know there was no indication of traumatic injury (like you would with a raccoon attack), but visiting nests regularly leaves a scent trail for mammal predators (like raccoons and even squirrels) and crows watch and figure out something is doing in there.

And I am not at all suggesting that's what happened, but you know your stuff, and I know people will probably follow your example more than mine : )

Anyway, happy spring, and good luck with the W. ducks this year.

new duck eggs, old duck question

Comments (4)

litholad

lisa11310

Related Discussions

chinamigarden

Elly_NJ

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US