Need help! WIld 20+ ducks keep getting in the coop daily

[tlouiselle]

We live on a small lake with a fenced in yard. During the day I let our 9 chickens out in our yard and leave the coop open for food, water, and nesting boxes.

Our lake had 8 muscovey ducks that would visit every once in a while but didn't enter our back yard. During breeding season our neighbor encouraged them to nest on their property. When the adorable babies were born they fed them so they didn't have to go off and fend for themselves...and let mother nature run it's course. I know that is a horrible thing to say but I am dealing with the outcome now. 27 baby ducks survived and the population of 35 now lives in my neighbors yard who keeps feeding them and claims they are "practically" theirs now since they live there. I don't mind them on my front yard, however, they have all learned how to fly and are all in my back yard and coop. I am chasing ducks out all day long. I can't afford to let them pig out on chicken feed all day OR risk disease.

All of my research has just led to how to house ducks and chickens together AND a trick to hang CD's because they don't like shiny things.

Does anyone have any tips or advice on keeping these little piggies out of the coop?

 

[WYNot]

Freezer camp?

 

[quail arizona]

Shoot them with a pelet gun your problems gone and you have dinner

 

[1muttsfan]

Without completely enclosing the coop and run, or getting rid of the intruders, you will likely have to keep feeding the freeloaders.

 

[tlouiselle]

As a last resort I may have to call someone to trap them. I wish I didn't have to. I was just wondering if there was anything they were afraid of that would keep them away :-(

 

[tlouiselle]

What's freezer camp?

 

[tlouiselle]

Nevermind! I just looked it up!

 

[LeafBlade12345]

If you do decide to trap the ducks, are you going to eat them? Some people may take them as pets if you sell them or give them away. Don't relocate though, they will almost undoubtedly come back.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I would talk to fish and game as these arent domesticated bird they are wild. Your neighbors should not be feeding them they wont be able to survive in the wild because of this.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Yes it is not good to feed wild animals, they become reliant on people for food and if your neighbor stops feeding them, they could die. Anyway, they need a natural diet. Talk to your neighbor and the fish and game dept. as JesusFreak101 said. They can help relocate and caution the neighbor about feeding wild animals, birds or otherwise.