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Wood Duck House Plans

By Jeff Matura

Summary: Wood duck house plans complete with step-by-step instructions, tips for location, and yearly maintenance suggestions.

Download Plans Free - Fully dimensioned drawings with step-by-step instructions that will show you how to build a long lasting wood duck house. List of materials also included in plans.

Wood Duck House Construction Tips

Selecting a weather-resistant wood such as cedar or cypress is recommended, but I have built many wood duck houses from white pine that have lasted up to ten years. When finished the outside of the house can be varnished or treated, but not the inside. Painting a white ring around the entrance hole with white spray paint will also add contrast to the entrance hole so it is more easily seen from a distance by a hen wood duck searching for a cavity. During the construction phase I highly recommend using deck screws or small ring shank nails so the box stays together as long as possible. The entrance hole should also be roughened up a little using a wood chisel. Don’t forget to put a good a 3-inch layer of coarse sawdust at the bottom of the box to serve as nesting material and to help prevent the eggs from rolling around. When cutting the entrance don’t make it any bigger, the small home is more than enough for a wood duck and keeps out predators such as raccoons.

Wood Duck House Location

Because the hen woody will lead her ducklings to water soon after they hatch, the area between the house and the water's edge should be free of any major obstacles such as roads or fencing. Wood duck houses placed on poles over water are generally easier to monitor than those placed in trees. Regardless of whether the box is placed over the water or land, the entrance should be clear of obstructions to provide easy access for the ducks. Wood duck houses should also be place at least 100 feet apart to help reduce nest dumping. This is when multiple hens lay eggs in the same nest. When attaching the house to a tree I recommend using 4" deck screws or ring shank nails.

Wood Duck House Maintenance

Each spring before the wood ducks come back up north be sure you clean out your wood duck boxes and put in new wood chips. During the winter starlings and squirrels will often make a mess inside your houses. If not cleaned out the odds of a hen wood duck using your nest box are greatly reduced. Don’t forget to put in fresh wood chips after cleaning.