Assistance with Herding/Getting Ducks to Bed

[Lorielus]

Hi,

I've already gotten some invaluable advice on ducks here and wondered if I could impose with another question.

The two (13 and a bit week old) khaki campbells I have are now confident enough to go wandering around the enclosure (just a fenced-off piece of the garden, about 1/4 of an acre maybe), and share the area (separate housing though) with four hens.

The hens are no problem to "herd" at night and mostly put themselves to bed. The ducks I know are not so great at that, but I'm really struggling to get them into their coop at night. They can be gently herded with outstretched arms, but they panic if I get too close, so can't get close enough to actually herd them into the coop.

A couple of times I've had to corner them and (as gently as possible) grab them them put them to bed, which I imagine can't be good for them given how much they panic when I get that close and can't be good for building trust.

I've attempted tempting them with mixed corn, but again I think their fear overcomes any immediate temptation.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DanielleInUro]

Mine get a roma tomato (twenty nine cents, or less at the Wal Mart) every morning with a slit in it so they can play football with it, every morning when they come out of the pen. Every night when it's bedtime, I toss a second one into the pen and step back. It took about three weeks, now they all run for the pen when they see me coming because they know the fastest duck will get a head start on the tomato. so toss, step back, then walk up and close the door while they're footballing in there.

 

[chickens really]

Put up two barriers on each side of the door..plywood works great for herding them into the coop..I say bedtime and in they go....

 

[Lorielus]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll see what they do with a tomato but I suspect it'll just scare them, as they seem to be scared of everything!

The barriers are definitely a good idea, I did try with some large pieces of cardboard the other night, but the wind had other ideas.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

We had trouble herding our then 6 week old runners into their house the first couple nights. We eventually learned that they herd so easily, all it takes is a shift of the shoulders from 20 feet away to change their direction. Too big a movement, and they would veer wildly and miss the door to the house.

Once they are in their house, they get hand fed peas and left with a bowl of wheat under water (on top of a storage bin lid so they don't make a mess on the ground).

Now after a couple weeks, if we are late getting out there with their peas and wheat, they will be waiting in their house and yelling at us to hurry up! It takes time, but you have to build positive associations. Being locked up = good things (food). Rinse and repeat.

Now I can sit with them in their house and pet them while feeding their peas and a couple will climb into my lap! They are still TERRIFIED of my walking towards them though.

 

[jofanx]

Put a light in their coop and keep it on until at night before you go to bed. Ducks and chickens are prey animals who feel more safe in light than the dark when most of their predators are out. I only have to do this for maybe three days with all new ducks and they put themselves to bed after that.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks are not light sensitive like Chickens...They move around all night long...Won't be attracted to lights ...

 

[jofanx]

Maybe you mean geese? I've had both Mallard type ducks and muscovies. They all move into lit areas when it's dark out, and all of mine were easily trained to go into their coop at night with that method.

 

[luvmyduckies]

I feed mine at night. I call them and when they see me and the bucket they follow me

 

[luvmyduckies]

I feed mine at night. I call them and when they see me and the bucket they follow me

I always put them up before dark because mine freak out in the dark being followed. I have heard that they do not see well in the dark