Mallard hen nesting

[Jennifer Tidwell]

I was cleaning out one of the flower beds the other day and came across a nest the Susie made. It had 3 eggs in it. She was sitting on them this morning!

This will be her first brood. She's about a year old now and I guess it's that time of year. I have two Drakes, and I need to look into getting some more Susies.

I'm wondering if I should build a temporary enclosure around the nest. We have a lot of coyotes, fox, possums and racoons. Not to mention the feral cats that roam around...

[Jennifer Tidwell]

Still laying eggs, so she's not sitting full time yet!

[Jennifer Tidwell]

I have four eggs in the incubator, but a varmint got the ones that were in the nest. I think the ducks are looking for another place to nest, but I need to get a run built for them.