Change of venue

[edoyle]

I’ve had these cuties now for about a month. They were a few weeks old when we got them. My how they have grown!! I’ve been keeping them in my tub at night and bring them outside for the better part of the day. We have a nice routine- I fill the tub for them to swim in the morning give them some yummy peas and then it’s outside we go till dusk. They always tell me when it’s time to go back in - stand at the sliding glass door and peep (now little baby quacks) till I bring them in- then they get more tub time time before lights out. All cute. Been having fun with it. But I got them because we have this great pond on our property and I thought it would be nice to see ducks out there. It’s about 100 yards from the house. Now that these two are fully feathered I want them to stay in their duck house by the pond. I’ve given them their favorite peas out there to associate the pond/duck house with good things they love but they won’t stay out there. They keep making the long trek back to the house before I have a chance to lock them in their house for the night. What can I do to break the routine? I mean they can’t sleep in the tub forever. Any ideas?

 

[Isadora]

I would think you would have to confine them to their duck house for several days, maybe even a week or two so that they learn it's their new home for bedtime. Even then, I'm not sure they would not go back to the house at night, just because that was the routine before.