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

[canard]

Gomes Bantams, I love your quote: "No! My ducks go up to the front door and look inside and scare they bejebers out of me!"

My Pekin will usually head to their coop either on their own as it turns dark or if I tell them any combinations such as, "It's bedtime. It's time for bed!" I make sure they all the ducks get plenty to eat before bed as I do not leave food in their coops most of the time. Sometimes when they, much like little kids at bedtime, are not ready to go to bed I have to herd them in. Sometimes on those occasions, they even try to go around the coop instead of inside. In general, they are very cooperative. The ONE time they didn't want to go in their coop at all we had a rather large bonfire going and I think it scared them even though it was quite far from their coop. The Pekin seem to sense the danger as it gets dark.

My Campbells & Runners have to be herded in each night. They definitely act like kids who do not want to be told to go to bed. I used to always count them in their coop with a flashlight. I stopped doing it because it seemed like they all went in. Their coop is within a pen. A few days ago I saw a few of them out in the morning BEFORE they were let out. I realized some had stayed under their coop and never went inside before I shut it up. The next night I swept a my herding downhill ski pole under their coop and low and behold a few ran out from underneath and ran into their coop. So, I did a "sweep" again tonight and about 2 or 3 of them were trying to stay outside their coop underneath it. The Campbells and Runners don't seem to sense danger as much as the Pekin. They seem more fearless...... which obviously could get them into a world of hurt.

Besides opossum and raccoons there are some local fox, skunks, and coyotes. There is often an owl "who who-ing" VERY close by in the woods. They are afraid when hawks and blue heron fly overhead. They don't realize that owls would love to attack and eat them too.

 

[NHchicks]

Thanks all.

Now, based on bedtime rituals, I'm swinging back towards Pekins from runners. Also, if the Pekins are a little more cautious when it comes to predators, that's a plus too.

 

[canard]

Hi NHchicks!

I used to keep the ducks in three separate coops until about a week and a half ago or so. I wanted to make sure the Campbells were accepting of the Runners before integrating them since there were so few Runners. I would grab each Runner and carry them to their coop. I would hug them, kiss their feathery heads and talk softly to them saying things like "I love you duckie". The would frenetically quack, try to flap their held down wings and generally act like I was trying to kill them. I would think to myself, really?????, I have had them since July! Today the three Runners went back in the pen after I let them all out today. I got down to their level and reached out to touch them and they ran away. None of my Campbells seem to want to be touched either. The Runners are beautiful and the are so cute when they run and play. I feel bad for them because there are so few of them and one of their siblings got snatched (& killed???) right in front of them. I make sure they get lots of peas when I throw them. I just went outside to move the hose from one baby pool to the other and the lone Campbell in one pool ran off as I got near. I can't say the Pekin enjoy being picked up but after a few flails of their legs they stop flailing and seem to like the attention. When I let all the ducks out after work on Friday, all of the Pekin stayed close by and quacked and 5 of the 8 let me stroke their chests a bit. Some Pekin run off if you try to pick them up too. Some are bolder and others more timid. One Pekin duck and her boyfriend seem to want to visit and be pet the most. She does the flirty "Cu cluck ca cluck" dance and then likes to dabble & nibble at my hand or shirtsleeve. The one Pekin who had a strained tendon was the most shy about being touched but he always seemed to loiter nearby and like attention. The Pekin are laying usually 4-6 eggs per day. Granted, they are older than the others. The Pekin just seem more like pets than livestock. The others were adopted at 2 and 3 weeks old, so again that could be a a big factor. However, when my boyfriend picked the Campbells up, the lady who hatched them said they didn't seem to attach to her and her kids as much as other breeds of ducks they had raised before. I would strongly suggest you get a good ratio of drakes to hens. Then you won't end up with hens being sexually attacked by horny males.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Mine pen up on their own at dusk. But typically that's when I feed and water them, and of course lock up the pen for the night. Since their first day out, I alway said "time to pen up Laaa-dieees"... & they go, even the Drakes! Lol In the beginning, I used 2 long sticks to direct them. Worked very well.

 

[Carcajou]

I was able to train my ducks to go in at night and for a while now they have been putting themselves in when it gets dark and I just go out and close the door. I have a fenced enclosure around their coop and take their feeder away around noon and put it back out a couple of hours before dark. They gladly follow me in when they see the feeder. I also give them lettuce about that time quite frequently and usually have to give them lettuce to get them in if I have been away during the day.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

My ducks and geese are housed together at night currently, 90% of them go inside on their own, but the Muscovies and a few others lay by the door until I shoo them in.

~ Aspen

 

[MyaGoodness]

My ducklings are herded by my Border Collie. She's not been trained but comes from working stock. She loves her new job!