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<br />Ottawa Duck Club - President's Report <br /> <br />mesh so that there is no chance that your houseguest( s) <br />will get caught up in the mesh <br />. the entrance hole is oriented toward water and is not <br />obstructed by any brush or overhanging tree limbs; this is <br />to ensure that the female has an unobstructed flight path <br />and that there is a clear way for baby ducks who are <br />exiting the box <br /> <br />* Sometimes, repairing may not be worth it and you may <br />decide to replace the duck box altogether. <br /> <br />Housekeeping <br /> <br />Once you have made the necessary repairs, you can then start <br />the house cleaning. <br /> <br />This means that: <br /> <br />. all soiled material like old shavings, membranes, or <br />eggshells should be removed and scraped away <br />. that the drainage holes should not be plugged with any <br />debris (should be Y4 inch in diameter) <br />. a layer of clean loose wood shavings of about 4 inches <br />needs to be added (Wood Ducks do not carry nesting <br />material into nest boxes). The hen will use the shavings to <br />cover her eggs as she lays them. The shavings also <br />provide insulation and protection for unhatched eggs. Fine <br />sawdust should not be used because it can suffocate <br />young ducklings. It is important to add the appropriate <br />height because if the shavings are too high, a roosting hen <br />might be within grasp of potential predators. <br /> <br />Why is it important to clean a nest box on an annual basis? <br /> <br />. there is evidence that duck boxes that ate not cleaned <br />annually are not as productive as those that are <br />. to reduce the chance of a disease or parasite being <br />transmitted from one breeding season to the next <br />. it prepares the house for the new occupant in the spring <br /> <br />http://odc.ncf.ca/duckboxmaint.html <br /> <br />Page 2 of6 <br /> <br />6/1912005 <br />