Can I trust them.

[Debby Duck]

This is so interesting! There are so many different ways ducks respond at bedtime!

My ducks like to go to bed on time. If I'm running late they quack loudly from the doorway of their barn room. One of my ducks, who passed away, used to stand in the doorway right before dusk and quack at the rest of the ducks to hurry up and come to bed, lol.

I do give my ducks a little mealworm bedtime snack for going to bed - every night without fail. If we go away overnight we hire someone to tuck the ducks in, let them out, and give them food and fresh water. I would never trust an automatic door, even though my ducks do go inside and wait for me. They often go back out to get a drink of water or check if I'm coming.

That is so funny your duck would quack at the others to come in! These little creatures are just so intriguing and funny with their antics.
I'm so sorry he or she died. I hope this wasn't recently. Was it an accident illness?
My husband has mentioned an automatic door a few times but I don't trust them either. I want to close that door myself and lock both latches! Even though they walk themselves in every night by 6. And even though we'll probably never be able to take another vacation .

 

[KaleIAm]

That is so funny your duck would quack at the others to come in! These little creatures are just so intriguing and funny with their antics.
I'm so sorry he or she died. I hope this wasn't recently. Was it an accident illness?
My husband has mentioned an automatic door a few times but I don't trust them either. I want to close that door myself and lock both latches! Even though they walk themselves in every night by 6. And even though we'll probably never be able to take another vacation .

Lol, yeah she had very strong feelings about bedtime. They kind of ignored her, too, because she was the lowest on the duck dominance totem pole, so when I heard her starting to panic about bedtime I would go out and tell them all to go to bed or no mealworms! That got their attention! She was the sweetest. She had egg yolk perontitis and passed a little over a year ago. We tried so hard to save her.

I have 3 latches. Lol. I'll go away for 1 night tops. Even with hired duck sitters I just can't trust that they'll be able to detect if a duck needs to go to the vet. Real vacations will have to wait. Oh well! I need that money for vet bills anyway. ;-)

 

[Abriana]

My ducks always put themselves to bed and in fact are very anxious if I do not come to do it (they live in a separate pen during the day). Took them a bit to learn but now both do it no trouble!

 

[Debby Duck]

Lol, yeah she had very strong feelings about bedtime. They kind of ignored her, too, because she was the lowest on the duck dominance totem pole, so when I heard her starting to panic about bedtime I would go out and tell them all to go to bed or no mealworms! That got their attention! She was the sweetest. She had egg yolk perontitis and passed a little over a year ago. We tried so hard to save her.

I have 3 latches. Lol. I'll go away for 1 night tops. Even with hired duck sitters I just can't trust that they'll be able to detect if a duck needs to go to the vet. Real vacations will have to wait. Oh well! I need that money for vet bills anyway. ;-)

OHHHH. I'm going to have to look that up. So many things I'm still not aware of. I've only been a duck owner for 6 months now, but I'm feeling very lucky I haven't had to make a vet trip. I hope I'm not missing something.
I never expected that I would become so head over heels in love with my ducks! And I know most duck owners feel the same way. Even those with ducks like mine, who are so aloof unless they are in the mood to bless us with some attention!
Do yours let you pretty them, or sit in your lap? I'm training mine to tolerate a pet while getting a treat. It's not very welcomed!

 

[KaleIAm]

OHHHH. I'm going to have to look that up. So many things I'm still not aware of. I've only been a duck owner for 6 months now, but I'm feeling very lucky I haven't had to make a vet trip. I hope I'm not missing something.
I never expected that I would become so head over heels in love with my ducks! And I know most duck owners feel the same way. Even those with ducks like mine, who are so aloof unless they are in the mood to bless us with some attention!
Do yours let you pretty them, or sit in your lap? I'm training mine to tolerate a pet while getting a treat. It's not very welcomed!

I'll PM you so we don't hijack this thread!