Do ducks go to bed at night in the coop like chickens do?

[NHchicks]

My chickens are free rangers, and by dusk they all tuck themselves into their coop and then I lock the door.

Do ducks do this? How do you get them into a coop at night if they are free rangers?

 

[Tivona]

Mine usually hang out by the door when it starts getting late. I just shoo them in the rest of the way and close the door. It helps to have them trained to go to the coop/pen when its evening. I trained mine with treats and also with shooing them with a long bamboo pole. They aren't afraid of the pole I use, its just easy for them to see anywhere in the garden and its a bit easier to guide them all with it. Particularly for the ones behind bushes or something. I stick it in behind them and they sorta start wandering back. Either that or stand there till I poke/push them with it and then they try to nibble it. They sort of like doing things at their own pace. Mostly mine co-operate with the commands I have them trained for.

 

[70%cocoa]

Ducks generally need to be herded in. I do the same as Tivona - always give them treats at bed-time (either peas or leaft greens) and usually they are charging in ahead of me once they see me coming with their treats. They know they only get the treats in their pen and they have to be in the pen before they get anything. That makes them very easy to put away.

If I don't put them away, though, they would just sleep wherever they wanted to out in the yard (which I never let them do since we have a lot of foxes).

 

[suki'smom]

Mine live with my chickens so they just follow them in at night.

 

[Going Quackers]

Mine do however, there will always be one or (a few) who need to be herded in. I guess what i mean is i am always there at dusk or close too to ensure everyone is in and safe(i do a headcount)

 

[NHchicks]

It's not easy always being there at dusk. I am most of the time, but sometimes we might actually go OUT somewhere (ha - rare event) and not get back until dark.

Are there certain breeds of ducks that are more likely to be coop-sleepers than others?

 

[Going Quackers]

I do understand, i have to accommodate my evenings for the birds, which is hard with the lessening daylight hours. My main concern is a predator cornering the birds in their coop/barn.. so i ensure i am there as close to nightfall as possible.

 

[LuckyDucky4]

I have 4 pekins and it took about 2 weeks of me having to herd them into their coop, but now all I have to do is tell them it's bedtime and they head towards their house. If I am later than usual getting out they will put themselves to bed and all I have to do is close the door. If the door is shut and if they want in they'll just stand close to the duck house and wait. I do give them treats once they are all in, and other than that I haven't done much to train them

 

[suki'smom]

When I first put my ducks in my chicken pen, with the chickens loose, I was very suprised to find them "missing" at dark. Instead of going to sleep in the dog crate as usual they went right in the coop with everyone else. Even today, when only the ducks were let out into the run, at dusk they were all standing at the door wanting in. As soon as I opened the door they all ran right in and settled down.

With my old ducks it was a battle every evening to get the little buggers into the coop. If I didn't herd them in then they were more than happy to sleep outside lol I guess it just depends on the ducks.

 

[dbolak]

I herd mine in at night as well. However, if I get out a little late i find them in their pen already. They learn if it is done every night and I think they now feel safe in there.