Wood duck boxes

[dmatheny21]

Headed to the swamp to freshen up some boxes and pull a stand. Guess i was a little late. Two of the 3 boxes had a hen in it (one which almost let me get inside before she decided to freak out). One was untouched and one was full of eggs. I tried to leave it be in hopes she will return. I put a camera on it to see. Swamp is full of water…
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[ScoobieMcDoobie]

She'll return.

A pair started coming to our box daily to lay starting on January 28th.
A little earlier than usual.

Judging by the amount in your boxes she probably started sometime during the first week of February

[2thDoc]

she could be getting dumped on too

[TeamCutEmAll_SC]

That feeder lol!

[dmatheny21]

That feeder lol!

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It was bitch to get up there, higher than it looks. There is a rifle stand in the back ground but i lost the top of that oak during that last hurricane that is gonna cause some issues.

[cajunwannabe]

Perfect size clutch in the pic! Mama will be back!

[Drylok]

I hope my boxes produce this year. They have not long had water under them with the dry fall.

You are looking good!

[Mldalton]

Don’t be scared to rotate the eggs if she spooked out do her a favor. She will eventually roll them over again.

[dmatheny21]

Not sure if the hen ever came back or if the camera missed her. Hope it isn’ too late…
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[cajunwannabe]

She's inside, guaranteed.

[Catdaddy]

She's inside, guaranteed.

Yep,...you can see the wet wood below the hole. Males don't go in.

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[dmatheny21]

Yep,...you can see the wet wood below the hole. Males don't go in.

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Good catch. She might have been too fast for the camera.

[welltaut]

Anyone figure out a way to keep the wasps from making pie plate size nests in these boxes? Always makes cleaning them out interesting, thank goodness they weren’t moving fast this am.

[BOGSTER]

Anyone figure out a way to keep the wasps from making pie plate size nests in these boxes? Always makes cleaning them out interesting, thank goodness they weren’t moving fast this am.

I wouldn’t worry about this.

wood ducks eat bugs, and have coexisted with wasps in cavities for as long as both species have been on this planet.
Mama duck will do just fine.

Also, stop worrying about adding wood chips every year. They don’t need us for that either.

[WNM]

I wouldn’t worry about this.

wood ducks eat bugs, and have coexisted with wasps in cavities for as long as both species have been on this planet.
Mama duck will do just fine.

Also, stop worrying about adding wood chips every year. They don’t need us for that either.

I don't disagree. I have seen plenty of broods hatched on the bare wood bottom of the box. Natural cavities don't have pretty cedar chips in them.

Having some bedding does help cleaning out the nasty old eggs and shells. I use a couple handfuls of cypress needles, pine straw, leaves, or whatever else is close.

[cajunwannabe]

Only thing I got is to tap on the box with a push pole before opening. They'll make nests underneath the bottom of the box and predator guard so check there too. Carry more than one can of wasp spray too.

They've lit me up more times than I can count.

[dmatheny21]

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First pic of one actually going in.

[cajunwannabe]

Awesome duck pic!

[turbo]

That's badass.

[2thDoc]

its a freaking duck going into a wood box. did you not think what it could look like?

(joke bc I like messing w the gypsy)