I have a 2 acre pond tucked away in the woods. Over the years I see ducks and geese, but have found a number of nests destroyed by predators. So I am thinking about putting out boxes for nesting in the next month or so.

What would be the right amount for a 2 acre pond. I am think one mallard box, and 2-3 wood duck boxes. Does that sound about right?

Sounds about right

I would load it up with boxes and hen houses. Let the ducks decide how many can stay on that water. They will only go to the carrying capacity and why limit them.

I got three of these up at the end of last Feb with no action. If they're going to be used this year, by when should they be occupied?

Be sure not to put too many in the same area. We have put up 100's.And they will pick out a box and do what is called dump boxing. They are somewhat territorial when nesting and not sure why it's done but when you clean boxes out in the winter if there are too many in an area there will be 20+ eggs in a box with none hatched and many of the boxes close will have not been used. Not exactly sure what causes it. Try to keep them at least a couple hundred yards apart. Doesn't happen all the time, but have seen it happen a lot. We have also come to avoid land locked small ponds. Wood ducks are also really nomadic and the hen will move they young ducks all the time. If they need to cross a long distance over land many of the young will die. It is best to put boxes in area were they can move around and stay in the water. Around here sloughs/ponds that have drainage to other bodies of water. They will go up and down rivers and creeks and wonder from one pond to another as they grow. It is best if they can do this and keep there feet wet in some type of water. There is an old book written by F. Eugene Hester and Jack Dermid called the "world of the wood duck" that will tell you everything you could possible want to know about wood ducks and there nature. Over the years I have found everything in this book to be true.

Also forgot to say we usually get about 60-70% of the boxes used if spread out. With at least 90% of the eggs hatching. When we would put 5 or 6 boxes on a 2 acre pond we might only have one box with eggs in it and none hatched. One or two boxes on the same sized pond and both might be used with nearly all the eggs hatched.

Excellent Information rudydog!!!

I worked for the State of Maine on their waterfowl nesting box program in the late 80's and we found very similar numbers to what rudy is describing...Start with a low number of boxes and get higher production...Don't forget to use predator guards...

Make sure they are not facing each other as well. You can put up as many as you want but they will pick out one or two that they like.

I have put many boxes up over the years. They do work really well for wood ducks. If someone has already posted about predator guards, please excuse. But if your are mounting to a pole or a 4x4, or small tree be sure to use the predator guards around the base. Predators may not be as bad up there on wood ducks, but down here anything that can climb will eat duck eggs. While I was turkey hunting one morning I saw a pair of wood ducks flying around a box, "frantically" , the box was mounted to a small gum tree, a big coon was climbing up the tree to the box. In the spring I spend a lot of time Turkey hunting in the swamps, and I have actually seen lil ducks jumping out of the box for the 1st time. You are doing the right thing, and I wish more folks would take the initiative to put boxes up.

Thanks for the info. This is an isolated farm pond close to a mile from the nearest waterway, which is small and non-navigable. I do see wood ducks on occasion, so I was hoping the boxes would work. When do they start their nest for the spring?

I live on a small pond, maybe 1/2 acre in size. I have 15 duck houses up in my yard. On average, probably 12 get used in a given year, but all have been used at least a couple years. I even have three mounted on my deck. Usually on average only two or the most three broods stay to flight stage on the pond, the rest all go elsewhere. I've put up well over 100 houses in various areas. One lady has had me put up about 15 in her pond, and every one gets used, she wants more this spring. Those are mounted on well pipe out in the water, two per pole. All near each other too. No unusual issues at all that I've seen with eggs hatching when I clean them out in the spring.

I checked the boxes today...2 were empty and the other had a small owl in it. Not sure if it was just napping or if it will be nesting in there.

Those little owls do nest in boxes.

Screech owl?

goldy you got pictures of how you put yours up

It would seem that egg dumping would be more common with fewer places to nest. What would be the evolutionary advantage of egg dumpng if few are successful in hatching? I have zero experience. Just musing.