Help! There’s a mallard laying eggs in my backyard

DEAR JOAN >> We have a mallard duck that made a nest with four eggs in our backyard. I would like to know how many hours a duck sits on her eggs. Once the eggs hatch, how long before the babies can fly?

We bought a skamper-ramp and tied it to the edge of the pool so the little ducks can get out. We had to remove it because the female was scared of it.

We have a pool service person come once a week. (The duck) flew away and didn’t return to the nest for quite some time. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. — David Indra, Bay Area DEAR DAVID >> Congratulations. Your backyard has now become a more or less permanent roosting site for that mallard and her offspring. Typically, if the pair find a nesting spot they like, they come back year after year.

A backyard, however, is not an ideal place for mallards to nest. The chemically treated pool water isn’t very healthful for ducks, and it won’t contain any of the larvae and other foods mallards like to eat. Backyards also can be full of predators, including outdoor cats that may prey on the newly hatched ducklings.

However, this is the spot the mallards chose, and I think we can trust you to provide for them the best you can.

A duck pair searches together for a nesting site. Once they choose one, the male takes off and the female settles in and starts gathering nesting materials that are within reach, pulling them toward her and tucking them around her to form the nest. She then will line the nest with grasses and moss to form a soft bed for her eggs. Once she starts sitting on the eggs, she’ll pull out her own breast feathers to provide additional padding and insulation.

The female will lay up to 13 eggs, producing about one a day. During this time, she may sit on the nest, but she won’t start incubating the eggs until the last one has been laid. During this time, she can leave the nest for long periods of time and the eggs will be fine, as long as a predator doesn’t get to them.

Once she has her full clutch, she will sit on the nest, leaving only briefly to eat, for about 28 days. Although the eggs were laid days apart, they will all hatch within 24 hours.

Unlike some other birds that keep their babies in the nest for a few weeks, feeding them and allowing them to grow, ducklings are ready to leave the nest within 10 hours of hatching. Their mom will lead them all to water, where the ducklings will take their first swim and begin eating.

As they aren’t likely to find any food in the pool, it’s important they have a clear path out of your yard so they can find a better area.

The ducklings will stay with mom for up to two months before flying away to make their own way.

As the ducklings are likely to head to the pool first, install the ramp when you see the eggs are hatching. Turn off skimmers and block drains so that the ducklings don’t get stuck in something.

It’s tempting to try to help, but doing so will create stress and might end up with the mother flying away and abandoning her young. You can do best by hanging back, watching for predators and acting only in emergencies.

Once the nest is abandoned, you can remove it.