Auto door coop and ducks???

[Jamity46]

myone have an auto-door for their coop? We are going away the end of the month and don’t have anyone to care for my feathered friends. I thought this would be a nice if they work and could be nice if I ever want to sleep in-lol. Do they work well? I’m afraid of the ducks getting locked out! Can you train the ducks to go in? Mine would stay out all night if i didn’t wrangle them in at dark!!! Any info you have would be great for a newbie!

 

[Miss Lydia]

If they would stay out all night unless you herd them inside then they most likely will stay out when your gone. Which most likely won't go well for them. What about making a fenced in area attached to your coop using hardware cloth top bottom and sides to keep anything from getting in over top under and that way they would be safe. You'd need to put a skit around the outside of the coop and bury it to keep diggers out. I just don't see ducks using an automatic door.

 

[Jamity46]

Thank you all for your input, guess I’ll have to think about the different options. I do have a run (they usually just free range, so very overgrown), maybe I’ll just work on reinforcing it. It just has chicken wire on the sides and a mesh shade tarp on the top. Thanks again!

 

[arrowti]

If I wait too long putting the ducks in they will actually line up at the door. But this is a learned behavior, over a year of repeatedly putting them inside in the making. On the rare occasion I come home really late and it's pitch black I'll see them all standing on the ramp at the door, waiting for me. Poor things.

But unless they're doing that for you, they likely will not go in on their own.

 

[lomine]

My ducks have no problem going out the automatic door but most nights they don’t go back in on their own. I have to lift the door up and let them in.

 

[llombardo]

Mine love their house but they love outside more. They would stay outside all night if I didn't herd them in. They do go in when I tell them it's night night. I'm more of a night owl, so I will put a light on and sit out there and let them stay out until 10-11pm. In the morning when they here me coming they are flying against the door. All I hear is thump thud thump.

I thought about an auto door for them but it would only work in the am when they are itching to come out.

 

[thumper650]

I'm fortunate my brother likes to duck sit and enjoys staying at my house in the "country"