# Who's Got Wood Duck Nesting Boxes



## Coach Reynolds

It's time for my annual wood duck nesting boxes post!  If you have them out its time to get them cleaned out and ready to go. If you don't have any out there is still plenty of time to get them built and put out. I built one last year and put it out as late as April. Two weeks later I had a hen wood duck sitting on her eggs (that is not always the case but it won't happen if you don't have a nesting box out there for them.) If you would like to put some out but just don't have time to build it, shoot me a PM and I might be able to help you out. Remember, when you provide a safe place for them to nest you are only helping build & grow the wood duck population. There's not much most of us can afford to do when it comes to ducks but putting out nesting boxes is one thing all us duck hunters can do!


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## Hooked On Quack

Yessir, LOVE eating me some WD eggzzz..


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## ThreeAmigos

Mine are all in place and cleaned out. Will be getting them finished up today.


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## Coach Reynolds

ThreeAmigos said:


> Mine are all in place and cleaned out. Will be getting them finished up today.



I got mine all ready to go yesterday. I had to take a stick and push out two screech owls out of 2 different boxes. It won't be long and those hens will be laying eggs. I had a couple boxes last year that had hens nesting by mid-Feb.


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## DSGB92

I have a hunting lease right in the river that i duck hunted for the first time this year. I am fairly new to the duck hunting world but I was planning on building some kind of nesting boxes. Do you mind sharing some info or pictures of some that work good for you? Any help would be great. Thanks!


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## Dustin Pate

DSGB92 said:


> I have a hunting lease right in the river that i duck hunted for the first time this year. I am fairly new to the duck hunting world but I was planning on building some kind of nesting boxes. Do you mind sharing some info or pictures of some that work good for you? Any help would be great. Thanks!



Here is a good link to follow.

http://www.ducks.org/media/Conservation/GLARO/_documents/_library/_landowner/WoodDuck_NestBox.pdf

Plan on building a few new ones in the next few weeks and refreshing the ones I have out now.


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## Smiley

*Wood Duck Conservation project*

HCWA put up 33 new boxes last Saturday! 
Check out our pics from event.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...21698149973.1073741848.260063907535754&type=3


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## Coach Reynolds

33 new nesting boxes! Amazing! Just think, that's 33 new safe places for wood ducks to lay eggs, and safely hatch new wood ducks! Man that gets me excited! Just awesome!


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## Coach Reynolds

This is one of the very first ones I put out 4 or 5 years ago. My son and I fixed it up and get ready to go for the upcoming nesting season.


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## Coach Reynolds

Here's one I put out just last year. It had two different hens successfully hatch eggs last year.


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## kevbo3333

Good job, I will be putting two up around my pond with in the week. I had no luck with the one I put out last year.


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## ThreeAmigos

I've tried different ways but these work best for me at keeping unwanted guests out.


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## Coach Reynolds

Those are definitely the best predator guards to use. Thankfully my 5 gallon buckets and the big Crystal Springs water jugs had done well.


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## ThreeAmigos

Coach Reynolds said:


> Those are definitely the best predator guards to use. Thankfully my 5 gallon buckets and the big Crystal Springs water jugs had done well.



They aren't cheap to make with that tin nowadays that's for sure.


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## Quackmasterofgeorgia

I've built one that had a successful hatch last year, but I was wondering can they be shorter than the specifications in the ducks unlimited plans and still be as successful.


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## Coach Reynolds

There are some other plans out there besides the ones from DU. But to answer your question I'm not sure. All the ones I've built have been from the DU plans. I think they can be a little smaller but not by much.


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## Quackmasterofgeorgia

Alright thank you. There's a big bird house already built that I can have which is about a foot to short


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## TimR

We are putting out several new ones this year using galvanized steel poles. Do you think we still need the critter guards with the steel poles?


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## Coach Reynolds

TimR said:


> We are putting out several new ones this year using galvanized steel poles. Do you think we still need the critter guards with the steel poles?



I would. I read an article the other day that said if you used a 4" PVC pipe then you wouldn't need a predator guard. I don't know how well the 4" PVC pipe alone works but a good predator guard does the job.


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## jerry russell

Getting ready to put ours out.


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## GAGE

I have six to clean out this week myself.


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## DLH_Woodstock

Well we cleaned out three this week and put up three more. 








My Buddy Ryan and his son did most of the work.


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## DLH_Woodstock

Smiley said:


> HCWA put up 33 new boxes last Saturday!
> Check out our pics from event.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...21698149973.1073741848.260063907535754&type=3



33 you are the MAN


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## C.J.

ThreeAmigos said:


> I've tried different ways but these work best for me at keeping unwanted guests out.



Where did you get the predator guards from?


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## ThreeAmigos

C.J. said:


> Where did you get the predator guards from?



I made them out of 28 gauge galvanized sheeting from Home Depot


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## Buck Roar

Seen some reports of some already nesting in Floyd county and have eggs.


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## Coach Reynolds

Not surprising. I had some nesting this time last year but nothing this year yet.


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## GAGE

Cleaned 5 out yesterday, and while they all had some mud dobbers, 2 of them had a bunch of last years unhatched eggs.


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## C.J.

ThreeAmigos said:


> I made them out of 28 gauge galvanized sheeting from Home Depot



what width did you get and what was the best way to connect them to the metal pole?


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## ThreeAmigos

I believe width was 36". Ideally it should be 18" from the center out to the edge on each side. I made a cut to the center where the pole should be and then made slits so it basically left tabs sticking up. I used a pipe clamp to hold it on top and then another underneath to keep it from sliding down. May be a better way but that's how I did it.


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## Coach Reynolds

GAGE said:


> Cleaned 5 out yesterday, and while they all had some mud dobbers, 2 of them had a bunch of last years unhatched eggs.



Go to Home Depot and buy you a pack of No-Pest Strips. Cut it up to about 1 inch strips and staple that inside your boxes. It'll keep them and wasp away for most of the Spring, at least the peak nesting time. You may have to replace towards the end of May. It's not that expensive and I was able to use 1 pack for 6 boxes. Hope this helps!


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## Coach Reynolds

Just wanted to bump this back to life. Get you some nesting boxes out this year. 2 years ago my nesting boxes hatched 72 eggs, last year they hatched 82 eggs. I've got 4 new boxes to put out so I'm shooting for over 100 hatched eggs this spring & summer!!!


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## rnelson5

Coach Reynolds said:


> Just wanted to bump this back to life. Get you some nesting boxes out this year. 2 years ago my nesting boxes hatched 72 eggs, last year they hatched 82 eggs. I've got 4 new boxes to put out so I'm shooting for over 100 hatched eggs this spring & summer!!!



I really need to do this. A good friend of mine acquired a jam up swamp this past fall. I need to get a few boxes up out there.


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## Coach Reynolds

You'll be glad you did. Plus it gives you a chance to be around ducks out of season.


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## WOODIE13

Here is a start for us...

Just add kids and a cook out...

Smiley, you would be proud


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## Sterling

Is there a better place to look, other than Home Depot or Lowes, for cedar planks?


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## dom

Sterling said:


> Is there a better place to look, other than Home Depot or Lowes, for cedar planks?



look around at other lumber places. here in atl area there are a number of shops with them.


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## awm

I just cleaned out 6 boxes yesterday. All 6 had empty egg shells. 1 had 2 very small dead ducklings, along with 2 unhatched eggs, and 1 had 7 unhatched eggs. I'd like to know how many successfully hatched cause there was a lot of egg shells.


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## Coach Reynolds

There will be some broken shells, chips, and ones that look like the top of an egg. Look for the shells that looked like they've been flattened, count those and you'll have a good idea. The average is around 10. But I've had anywhere from 5-15. It's normal to find 1-3 unhatched eggs and a dead duckling as well. The one with 7 unhatched could mean it was a nest dump, or something could have happened to the hen when she left the nest to feed if there were no other hatched eggs.


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## GAGE

I cleaned/added fresh shavings to our 5 this past Thursday. Two of them had last years eggs, and all had wasps nests and or dirt dobbers.
I stapled some bug repellent strips that Coach recommended, so hopefully that cuts down on that problem.


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## WOODIE13

We should have 40 ready to go next week, will start hanging the ones we have ready this week.


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## ucfireman

Coach Reynolds said:


> I would. I read an article the other day that said if you used a 4" PVC pipe then you wouldn't need a predator guard. I don't know how well the 4" PVC pipe alone works but a good predator guard does the job.



I put 1 out a few years ago and used the 4 inch PVC with a toilet flange to mount it. Unfortunately it is on my property I don't get to too often and I have never checked it to see if it was used or if anything (predators) got in. I may go check and clean it this weekend. It sits on the edge of the pond in about 3-4 feet of water and is high so it will be a chore. 
I want to put out 1 on my home place, will probably use the 4 inch again. Maybe with a bucket guard.


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## ucfireman

On another thought, anyone have 1-2 boxes for sale? I have 1 cypress and would like a couple more. Around the Snellville or Newnan areas?


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## Barebowyer

I would like a few myself as I am closing on a new property in a few weeks.  If I can't find them, I will probably just make them.  I would have rather already had them up but better late than never I suppose.


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## WOODIE13

Here are some we were working on today, ran out of screws, but did get 12 completed.  Should finish them up next week along with getting them put out.


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## Coach Reynolds

Man those are 5 star duck boxes right there! Your ducks are going to be living the good life.


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## WOODIE13

Coach Reynolds said:


> Man those are 5 star duck boxes right there! Your ducks are going to be living the good life.



Definitely not for the lack of trying


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## UpstateFishing

Any of y'all ever put out goose nests?


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## WOODIE13

UpstateFishing said:


> Any of y'all ever put out goose nests?



Here, they call geese invasive, so no


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## cowhornedspike

Coach Reynolds said:


> I would. I read an article the other day that said if you used a 4" PVC pipe then you wouldn't need a predator guard. I don't know how well the 4" PVC pipe alone works but a good predator guard does the job.



I just slide the pvc pipes over the steel poles that hold the box before attaching the box to the pole...has worked great so far.


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## UpstateFishing

WOODIE13 said:


> Here, they call geese invasive, so no



Not too bad around here. Already maxed out on duck boxes and mallard tubes. Thinking of more inventive ways to clutter up our ponds.


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## Coach Reynolds

UpstateFishing said:


> Any of y'all ever put out goose nests?



Sure haven't. Have you?


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## whitedog

As a result of this thread, we built and put up 9 boxes this month. I checked them today and one has 4 eggs


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## across the river

WOODIE13 said:


> Here, they call geese invasive, so no



Pooping on the gold course doesn't make something invasive.  It can only be invasive if it wasn't native to the area in the first place.


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## WOODIE13

across the river said:


> Pooping on the gold course doesn't make something invasive.  It can only be invasive if it wasn't native to the area in the first place.



They used to have a lot of nesting platforms around here, because of all the pooping and eating up crops, they took them down.  Interesting concept, wonder why they are called RESIDENT CANADA geese?  Illegal I guess

Lets get cracking on some wood duck boxes this morning


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## UpstateFishing

Coach Reynolds said:


> Sure haven't. Have you?



Nope, just got 5 mallard tubes and 7 wood duck boxes on 5 small farm ponds, so maxed out this year. Just an idea for the future. There's a ton of local geese that hang out at a nearby airport, so they honestly might not need much nesting help.

They only grow fescue for the cows, so they aren't much of a nuisance to the farmers. No crops here anymore.


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## across the river

WOODIE13 said:


> They used to have a lot of nesting platforms around here, because of all the pooping and eating up crops, they took them down.  Interesting concept, wonder why they are called RESIDENT CANADA geese?  Illegal I guess
> 
> Lets get cracking on some wood duck boxes this morning



The guberment started restocking them after they were nearly wiped out to due to hunting and egg collecting. What they didn't anticipate is how well they would take to the "grasslands" of the city.  Since they love to live where you can't hunt them the population exploded in the late 1900's as development expanded.  Prior to that you just got the ones passing through during migration.  The only resident ones that migrate not are the northern ones that are often left no other choice due to the weather.  The others we are blessed with year round.  I'm not saying they aren't a pain, but they were government transplants to rejuvenate the population, just like the deer.


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## WOODIE13

Put a few out today, will be putting some more out this week.


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## WOODIE13

And it continues, stating to see more, trying to get with the WF biologist here to get some banding going on


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## mhayes

Would you share some dimensions with me? I have been telling my son for two years now we will build some. Time flys by and I forget. Would like to see diameter of the inside and hole for duck. thanks,


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## Barebowyer

Hole is typically 3"high by 4" wide for woodies.  I just built three out of cedar and have four more in progress.  There are lots of plans on the GON DNR site as well as the DU site and many others.  Will post pics when I can and get them up....If you are going to put them on trees with no predator guards it is essential that you make the boxes long so predators cannot grab the hen off of the nest.  Otherwise the depth is not needed as much, etc...


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## Coach Reynolds

Some recent pics from a few of my nesting boxes. I've got 8 out and 6 have nesting hens. One of my newer boxes I put out, I was worried the pole wasn't as secure in the mud as I liked. I check it after it had been out for 2 weeks and it was still standing. Then I went back this weekend, a week later, and it was tipped over in the water. I reset it and feel more comfident it's securfe so I feel it will be used soon as well.


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## Barebowyer

Awesome pics coach!  Thanks for sharing....


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## Smiley

Love the pictures! Awesome!


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## WOODIE13

Great pics, still have a few more to hang, with this weather, think they should still get some use


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## Barebowyer

Better late than never...I finally got five boxes up and installed on my new property.  I have had two pair of woodies on my ponds each evening but have no idea if they will get any use or not.....I done my part I guess....we shall see


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## WOODIE13

We have put up 31 wood duck boxes where none have existed, looking good, seems like a lot are just pairing up.  Getting kids involved is the key, along with partnerships with state orgs.


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## WOODIE13

WV state parks


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## Coach Reynolds

Got some babies!


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## Barebowyer

Awesome!  Good deal


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## HawkinsHollow

Installed 2 wood duck boxes with my right hand man yesterday.  I hope they are high enough.  We are looking forward to monitoring them to see if we get any hatchlings.  He wants to put one of our cameras on it so we can monitor it from a far.


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## Nicodemus

HawkinsHollow said:


> Installed 2 wood duck boxes with my right hand man yesterday.  I hope they are high enough.  We are looking forward to monitoring them to see if we get any hatchlings.  He wants to put one of our cameras on it so we can monitor it from a far.  View attachment 1002370View attachment 1002371




Make sure to predator proof them, or they will be death traps.


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## HawkinsHollow

Nicodemus said:


> Make sure to predator proof them, or they will be death traps.


I am using metal poles with 4 inch metal flue pipe (already had some) attached to the top so it swings.  I stuffed hardware cloth in the top of the pipe so snakes and rodents can't climb up.  I am thinking about smearing a bunch of grease on the bottom of the pole as well to deter ants and make it harder for racoons as well.  Should work.


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## Arrow Flinger

We are putting up 3 in Saturday on metal post. We are planning on coating the pole with Marine grease. Will that be enough protection?


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## Gut_Pile

You need a predator guard


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## across the river

At a minimum put a five gallon bucket on the pipe.  Keep the gap between the bucket and pipe small as possible and seal the gap.  Grease outside all spring and summer won’t last, even if it worked initially, which I don’t know that it will.


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## Arrow Flinger

Thanks


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## HawkinsHollow

Here is a better pic of our nesting boxes.  Well 1 of them anyways, the other i'd have to be floating to get a pic of.  No action yet, still early though.


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## Duckbuster82

https://coastalobserver.com/do-wood...zM4BSXyEE1cHFr6vnHk2tfLywf4PV2c7j-gG2wuMVEzNc

Interesting short article ask a few good questions about effectiveness of wood duck boxes.


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## trkyhnt89

I keep 5 - 6 boxes at my house on my lake down here in central Florida off a big river basin. I bet 200 eggs hatched out of those boxes last year, dont know what it is about the lake but the woodduck population is unreal. I do feed them and the fish year round so that probably helps, one of my favorite activities. Wish more people would do it down here.


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