Dang Ducks

[ssmith41068]

Hello everyone!!!
I have a problem and I need suggestions on how to solve it. Okay, my ducks will not go in at night. I have tried treats and that didn't work. I don't know what else to try. They free range all day but I really want them to be put up in their house at night. If they were a little friendlier I probably wouldn't have an issue, I would just pick them up and put them in their run. Any way, any suggestions would be great. Next issue is my female is laying eggs in a nest she made under a tree. Can I move the whole nest to a better location without causing her to find another nest? This makes the fifth time she has moved locations. I have realized if I leave at least one egg in the nest she will come back and lay in the nest the next day. Now that winter has set in in northern Indiana, I really want her to have a better place to lay her eggs and easier on me to retrieve them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let them out later in the morning if your able 8-9 might do it.

Also herding is one way to get them where you want them. maybe try 2 people working together until you feel comfortable doing it on your own. I have long bamboo poles and also an old broom handle either works good as arm extensions. Just go slow and walk them slowly where you want them to go using your arms spread out or poles to guide them. They pick up things really fast so being consistent makes a big difference. Having someone at first to direct them back to the group if the stray to far can help too.

 

[Ratchnick]

Don't feed them until the evening, they will be super excited to go in the house and eat.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Nest boxes in the house with artificial example eggs helped my ducks to get used to lay their eggs in the house. And for the herding: My ducks are scared to death of a flashlight-spot on the ground and run into their house as fast as they can. May be worth a try for your dang ducks.

 

[thumper650]

Herding and treats are great tools!


Last June I adopted a very skittish trio, a kahki female, and her 2 boyfriends, partially blind pekin named Marco and his guide mallard Polo. They were very scared of me at first. The first night it took 30 minutes to get them into my he shed, their temporary housing, as their run wasn’t done.
The second night it was beautiful out, so I just hung out on the porch of the shed and read. They marched right by me a few minutes later into the shed. I sealed the deal with mealworms. Now they come when called and go right inside!
It can take a while, but they can learn.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Let them out later in the morning if your able 8-9 might do it.

Also herding is one way to get them where you want them. maybe try 2 people working together until you feel comfortable doing it on your own. I have long bamboo poles and also an old broom handle either works good as arm extensions. Just go slow and walk them slowly where you want them to go using your arms spread out or poles to guide them. They pick up things really fast so being consistent makes a big difference. Having someone at first to direct them back to the group if the stray to far can help too.

Do exactly what Miss Lydia said and I like to have another person in the pen..so it’s a two person job for a bit..anyway, in the pen, rattling the food loudly, throwing some down, and I yell, ducks ! And that becomes their new ‘dinner bell’ every evening...soon they will start letting you know when they are ready to go in! And, yes, let them out later because they usually lay in the early Morning hours, so if she’s in the pen, she can’t hide her nests. Give her lots of hay.

 

[chickens really]

Herding them in and not letting them out till the eggs are laid each morning is all you can do. Set up a temporary chute of plywood at the gate so them will walk through is easier than trying to wrangle them in..
Maybe not allowing then out of the Run for a few days will train them the pen is home.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Also a snow shovel is a great herding tool. Just move slowly. If you try to here fast they will just freak out and go everywhere.

 

[ssmith41068]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I am going to try the herding again with someone else helping me and a couple of poles for extension. Sadly I lost my female duck to the road today! I know that is the risk you take when free ranging. I will miss my pretty little CeeCee. Come spring I'm going to get some more ducks and hope for females for my two boys.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe put up some fencing to keep them off the road too. Very sorry for your loss.