New young adult duck training

[coleridgedane]

Was just given a pair of young adult pekins. I'm new to ducks so I wonder if training them is similar to customizing other poultry. They stay in a fenced in yard, which includes an enclosed chicken pen. The yard is where I feed the guineas & peafowl.

They are certainly not comfortable yet so will it just be a matter of time & repetition to get them thinking this is home & where they are fed? I have a good sized farm pond I'd like them to use (about 100 yds away) but don't want to let the.m to it until I'm sure they'll come back at night

 

[dumb_cluck]

I would not let them in the pond AT ALL.

Once ducks get the feel for the open waters, it is very hard for them to come "home".

BTW, ALWAYS provide the ducks with water for eating. bathing. etc.
They routinely have to cleanse their nostrils in water and have to have water with food so they don't choke. Very important!

 

[rainplace]

The only ducks that have never come back from our pond or creek, once they were use to their surroundings, were the ones eaten by a mink. I don't let knew ducks forage outside of their area for at least 3 weeks. During that time I whenever I put out feed I say, "here chick chick chickie." No matter where my ducks are and no matter what they are doing, when I say that, they come a runnin.

One caveat, I have had a couple set up nests down by the creek that I didn't find and disrupt. Last year I had a duck go broody and I couldn't get to her. She hatched out 7 ducklings and brought them into the duck yard the same day they were hatched.

 

[coleridgedane]

Thanks!

I'm hoping to get them comfortable in the yard (there's a "bird" stall set up) or whatever they are comfortable with, so that this is HOME.

Three weeks seems like a good amount of time for them to get to know who's feeding & get the drill. We inherited a E. Indies hen & a cayuga drake (maybe hen) with the property. They are pretty wild & fend for themselves perfectly. So I really want eggs & don't want those 2 goofballs to be a bad influence on the new quackers.

Thank you!

 

[rainplace]

Some ducks aren't as easy as others. I would make sure that your ducks either go to their duck house at bedtime on their own or with minimal input on your part before you set the 3 week timer. I'd forgotten that bit

I'm not sure what other people's experience have been with ranging ducks, but I found my small ducks, silkies and black east indies, to be much more independent and more likely to wander off during their breeding season compared to my other ducks.

 

[coleridgedane]

Thank you all for the advise. This pair has charmed me.

I've made a lot of progress with their taming. At least they now know I'm their food & treat source. They so love playing in the huge water bowls that I really look fwd to being able to let them out & bring them back to home.