# Wood Duck Boxes



## BuckeyeZac

Anybody put any up in the past and have any tips or pointers? I plan on using the blueprints provided on the DU website. Is there a certain date you think I should have it up by?

http://http://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-biology/wood-duck-boxes

Thanks!


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## fire_line

woody will be looking for a place to nest the end of march, they will find your house and just hang around in the area. untill the female goes in to lay eggs, the male will be somewhere close all the time,they dont like humans being around alot. make sure you use a steel post or cover a wood one with metal to keep racoons from climbing up.we have 4 boxes in a wetland every year they come nest in them, all of our boxes have about 2 feet of water under them. hope this helps


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## BuckeyeZac

fire_line said:


> woody will be looking for a place to nest the end of march, they will find your house and just hang around in the area. untill the female goes in to lay eggs, the male will be somewhere close all the time,they dont like humans being around alot. make sure you use a steel post or cover a wood one with metal to keep racoons from climbing up.we have 4 boxes in a wetland every year they come nest in them, all of our boxes have about 2 feet of water under them. hope this helps


That's great. Thanks!


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## firstflight111

MAKE SURE YOU put wire mesh in the inside from the bottom of the box to the hole so the babys can get out .and make you hole a 5 in oval .and put lots of saw dust in it and put 7 or 8 drain holes in the bottom to let water out .


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## fire_line

better hurry we had 6 woodys show up satruday it wont be long before they start sitting on eggs.


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## claytonhaske

Gonna make about a 1/2 dozen this weekend with my nieces.......they have plans in the bi-weekly ohio outdoor news. Im gonna contact the odnr and ask them where we can put them.


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## fire_line

thats great if the kids are lucky enough to see the chicks come out they will be amazed of how small and fast they are. the body of the chicks are about the size of a golf ball.


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## claytonhaske

fire_line said:


> thats great if the kids are lucky enough to see the chicks come out they will be amazed of how small and fast they are. the body of the chicks are about the size of a golf ball.


That would be cool if we could see them....but just getting the kids involved in the outdoors, and understanding what they're doing is the main goal.


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## leupy

I have one on my pond but no ducks yet, i just put it a year ago. It is easier to set in the winter when ice is on. Just as a tip, you can mount the box on PVC using a toliet flange on top screwed to the box. Using PVC you ned to put a stake inside for additional support. This was not my idea but it looks great and works well. Wish I was smart enough to post pictures.


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## garhtr

Built 6 of these in early 80's and they are still holding up pretty well.  One thing I would do differently than the D.U. plans, hinge the side not the top, WOULD make it much easier to clean out each spring. Mine are not too bad if there is ice but they are hard to access after spring thaw. Only up keep has been replacing **** gaurds and some caulking Good Luck.


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