Mallard in the front yard laid eggs

[TheButcher]

It's really cute situation, three weeks ago a pair of mallards , a drake and hen would come to the front yard walk about fly away, this went on for a week. On Saturday May 17th around 2pm the hen came back went straight into the bushes and did not come out for 6 days, on Friday May 23rd she crawled out, I was walking the dog saw her hardly able to walk and went plonked her neck and head on the ground. I took our dog the back way not to disturb her, I cam back and my neighbour said he saw her fly away.

I was rather surprised how she could hardly move and then flew, I thought good for her. Next morning I went to peek at where she was and saw her sitting in the same spot. Last night I saw her crawl out and walk away, so i peaked, there are 12 or 13 eggs there, it's hard to see at 6 feet but I do not want to go any closer so as not to scare her away. I guess in 2 weeks or so there are going to be a dozen or so ducklings.

It's really nice seeing how the hen sits there for 4 weeks protecting her eggs.

I have been reading up on mallards for the past 10 days and they look exactly like the ones in this photo.



The problem is there are cats, skunks, raccoons and squirrels around our home, I home none of them discover the ducklings when they hatch and go for them.

[LuKenGas]

That's good luck Butcher

[AlexO]

So the male is done and gone?

[24alex]

So the male is done and gone?

He did his part, that's how wild life is, not all male and females stick together after copulation

[born2bewild]

Take some pics when they hatch post them here

[nudelinks]

It must be sad for the mother when they grow up and fly away what you think

[Abby]

How do birds know they have to sit on their eggs until the hatch?

[TheButcher]

An update , the ducklings hatched around midnight last night, I was outside smoking I could her them making small chirping noises as they came out their shells, when I woke up this morning they were gone, my neighbour who was walking her dog around 6am said she saw a duck and 10 little ones crossing the road. Good luck to them.

[ispdn]

Maternal instinct is amazing how they know about sitting on their eggs, what to do when they hatch,it is amazing.