HOME
LAKES
REPORTS
FORUMS
TRAVEL
DEALS
SEARCH
MORE
Waterfowl Hunting

Wood Duck Houses

2/7/10 @ 1:13 PM
INITIAL POST
MUSKYHARRASSER
User since 5/28/09
I am currently building wood duck houses with a friend to put on his land near ditches and a pond

If anyone has done this before I would like any information/ideas you could give on placement of houses, predator proofing, etc

Displaying 1 to 15 of 41 posts
1/26/14 @ 5:00 PM
Quack Shot
Quack Shot
User since 8/7/11
Last year I had 2 boxes out of 13 have all eggs not hatch in them. Same 2 boxes had the same problem this year. Any ideas as to why only these 2 boxes are having problems?

3/10/13 @ 6:59 PM
Big Sky
User since 11/5/01
Saw 4 woodies today. Must have been a migration of some sorts as I saw them, red wing blackbirds and more robins than normal.

2/12/13 @ 11:28 PM
duckmaster33.
User since 12/15/10
REM,sounds like a coon tried to get in.

2/12/13 @ 4:23 PM
Rempump
User since 5/8/03
I checked the wood duck houses over the weekend. We had successful nest in 4 boxes. One box looked it had 2-3 nest hatched out of it. All of the boxes had acitivity but the other 7 boxes looked like they were blue jays, small owls and other birds. We did have one box that had bird nest built on top of a wood duck nest. So it looks like the wood duck had a successful nest and then another bird came in build a nest on top of the wood duck nest. 1 nest looked like a cat or another clawed critter tried to get in, had claw marks on 3 sides of the box. The box is on a steel pole about 6 feet of the ground so what ever critter it was, it had some hops to it!

2/12/13 @ 1:06 PM
Big Sky
User since 11/5/01
That time of the year to put up new houses and clean out last years. Very important to clean out old eggs, wasps and bee's nests. Working on new land this year to add to my collection. Very pumped with prospect of good water this spring. Good luck to those that share the same interest in helping the Woodies.

3/26/12 @ 3:46 PM
Rempump870
User since 4/7/04
My buddie and I put up 11 houses this year. I took a trip up to see how things were going so far. Real hard to tell for sure but 3 of the boxes had a pair of wood ducks close by. Looking forward to see how they do.

3/26/12 @ 12:04 PM
duckwidow
User since 11/12/05
Ended up the year with 17 of 31 houses being used. Only a few unhatched eggs and 1 additional house with 0 eggs hatched. I thought it was going to be worse with the warm march and cool april and may last year. And yes, all houses were checked a couple weeks ago as I know some pairs are already laying eggs. Did others experience much success last year?

6/9/11 @ 5:03 PM
duckmaster33.
User since 12/15/10
Humble you have a terrible attitude!! As said before,you don't own the ducks!!Sometimes putting houses up causes more bad then good.I see that in your case.Grow up and do it right,or don't do it at all!!

6/9/11 @ 4:54 PM
duckwidow
User since 11/12/05
Humble1,

First of all I think your response is unnecessary for someone trying to help you. Next, do you have screens on the inside of the houses for them to climb up? Over 40 some years of having houses up I have only found 2 dead checks. Also, you say 3 clutches did not hatch? I have numerous wood ducks currently in houses so I would not check yet. There are other reasons, 1 being I have seen major bee hives inside a house I would hate to come across. Additionally I see late into the summer hens attempting to nest again so you don't know how old the eggs are. You have till next april to check your houses so why take a chance now? Much safer to check over the winter plus then you can take care of any maintenance that happens throughout the year. Also I would not take a picture by opening a house when a hen is in there. Any added stress can cause them to abandon a house. You can get defensive but the fact is you had very very very bad success which should cause you to rethink your practices. Lastly, just my two cents, it is your land, they are your houses, but they are not your wood ducks rather mother natures. Let her do her part.

6/9/11 @ 4:12 PM
duckmaster33.
User since 12/15/10
That was something positive for the ducks.Don't even waste your time putting them out if that's what you are going to do.You obviously don't have a clue!!!!

6/9/11 @ 2:59 PM
duckmaster33.
User since 12/15/10
My input is that nothing good can come from messing with them now....so leave them alone!!

6/9/11 @ 2:29 PM
rks
rks
User since 1/22/06
Still waiting for some one to answer duckwidow's question on how to keep the starlings out. I have the same problem. They took over five of my six boxes this year. When I cleaned out the boxes last year, I even found starling nests built on top of duck eggs. BB guns are a no no in this town, so that leaves that out.

6/8/11 @ 10:06 PM
duckmaster33.
User since 12/15/10
My guess would be something happened to the first one.

6/8/11 @ 6:56 PM
BassM127
User since 1/1/03
My dad has a total of 6 boxes up in his back yard all of which are being used and the other night he seen 12 little ones jump out of one of the boxes only to find another 11 eggs underneath the ones that hatched...anyone else ever see this? are guess is a hen layed first then got pushed out and another hen layed on top.

5/17/11 @ 7:38 AM
Walleye Warrior
Walleye Warrior
User since 8/23/01
thanks mallard. I did not know that.

Displaying 1 to 15 of 41 posts

MINN KOTA - Ulterra Trolling Motors
Ulterra Trolling Motors
Ulterra’s Auto Stow/Deploy and Power Trim has been helping anglers make more out of their days on the water for years. Now this easy to use motor has been completely re-imagined to handle even tougher abuse. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: MINN KOTA - Ulterra Trolling Motors Advertisement

HUMMINBIRD - XPLORE Fish Finders
XPLORE Fish Finders
The XPLORE Series is lightning-quick and laser-focused on anglers’ favorite features. Find your fishing spots faster with included LakeMaster and CoastMaster charts. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: HUMMINBIRD - XPLORE Fish Finders Advertisement

Copyright © 2001-2026 Lake-Link Inc. All rights reserved.
No portion of this website can be used or distributed without prior written consent of Lake-Link, Inc.
This website may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission.
Lake-Link Home
percision control by
MENU
MORE TO EXPLORE