At what age can ducks (and geese!) free-range?

[debir1966]

NEW to ducks and geese - our 3 ducks and 2 geese that are 12 weeks old.

We free-range our chickens, turkeys and guineas - and I mean, free range (no fences). We coop everyone up at night, they free-range during the day only.

At what age can ducks and geese safely free-range?

Right now we have them in a hoop coop. For the first few days, they could come back to the hoop coop at night, but I would like to train them to come back to either the chicken coop or another building. How do you train them to coop-up at night, especially to a new building?

Can you use electro-net safely with ducks and geese? I would like to use electro-net to fence in a larger pen for them during the day to have more room until they can free-range fully. It is not poultry net, it is sheep/goat net. Could I still use it for the ducks and geese?

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Debi R.

 

[RuzichFamily]

I have african geese about 8 weeks old that have been out since they were 5-6 weeks. To me it depends on the time of year but yours are more than old enough IMO. I start around 5 weeks if possible.

 

[debir1966]

Thank you so much for responding RuzichFamily! I was concerned since these are our first and they have no older ducks or geese to help guide and teach them the ropes. We have two younger (1 duck and 1 goose) and we tried to put them in with the older ones the other day but the two older geese were being too onery and started pulling feathers and biting, so I am going to wait until they are a bit older and bigger!

Do you happen to have any suggestions for re-training them to a different "house" to come back to at night - or just herd them in there every night and eventually they will realize it is home?

Thank you again! I have been asking this question in different groups/forums for a few weeks now and you are the first person to respond

Debi

 

[RuzichFamily]

Thank you so much for responding RuzichFamily! I was concerned since these are our first and they have no older ducks or geese to help guide and teach them the ropes. We have two younger (1 duck and 1 goose) and we tried to put them in with the older ones the other day but the two older geese were being too onery and started pulling feathers and biting, so I am going to wait until they are a bit older and bigger!

Do you happen to have any suggestions for re-training them to a different "house" to come back to at night - or just herd them in there every night and eventually they will realize it is home?

Thank you again! I have been asking this question in different groups/forums for a few weeks now and you are the first person to respond

Debi

When I introduce my birds from the brooder to the yard I just throw them out there. There is the inevitable bullying and finding of the pecking order but if you have plenty of rom they'll get away and in a week or two they'll have it all lined out.

I have found with my ducks that if you gently push them to the coop every night that over time they will pretty much roost themselves. We are training the african geese right now and they've pretty well got it in two weeks. We do the same routine so much that I have a pair of khaki campbells that stays in a separate enclosure and as my wife and I start our routine they split off and go to their spot.

 

[debir1966]

Well, I was too "chicken" (LOL) to let them out to free range totally yet - so this morning my son and I put up the elctronet around the hoop coop and let them out!

It is not on, but so far seems to be keeping them in. Once they are used to staying in it (about a week?), I want to move it and them to their new house and use the electronet to keep them there until they are familiar with their new home and going in every night (a couple weeks?) and THEN I will be more comfortable, I think, letting them free range.

I didn't get a pic of the ducks out of the hoop coop, but here is one of the geese

 

[debir1966]

We will be turning it on tomorrow (I didn't get it hooked up all the way today).

 

[RuzichFamily]

Looks great, I think you're on the right track! Just keep doing what you're comfortable with.

I went to check on my little african goslings the other day in the rain and needless to say, they were having a ball.



Thats right, sitting in a water pan in the rain, haha, goofy critters.

 

[Leenalou]

Looks great, I think you're on the right track! Just keep doing what you're comfortable with.

I went to check on my little african goslings the other day in the rain and needless to say, they were having a ball.



Thats right, sitting in a water pan in the rain, haha, goofy critters.

My geese are a little over 5 weeks & the chickens are 7 weeks. If I just open the coop can I expect them to go to the coop before dark? Or will I have to round them up? I'm sure I won't be able to. It's so hot in the coop & I just want them out & I'm sure they want that as well.

 

[3bird]

We started letting ours "free range" (but within a large fenced area) when they were about eight or nine weeks old, I think. We did have one girl (Amelia) attacked by a bird of prey shortly after that. Our ducks are silver Appleyards (large breed).