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

[Going Quackers]

I think it's different if you have a pen where a predator cannot access it. Mine is low grade, i also have full flight birds, often my one duck is up on the kids old wood playground('scovies, roosting lol) so that makes a difference in how you handle night time, my biggest fear is while the ducks THINK their home is safe if they can walk in/out so can a predator until that door is latched it's a false sense of security.

 

[fowl farm]

I had to herd mine in the first few nights and I fed them in there for awhile. Now all I have to do is go out at night and lock the doors!

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

I have two drakes with my chickens (most of the time) and I free range my chickens, but never lock their door at night. (Our dog is a great protector and we never have any predators, and mornings are insane around here and I would hate to leave them locked inside all day.). The ducks usually follow their favorite hens in (my old BRs) and will lay down for about 15 minutes. Then when everyone is settled in they walk out the door. It started this summer, I guess because they realized there's a ton of bugs under the porch light. Nothing is going to get them, and now they don't start reeking havoc in the chicken coop at 2 am, so I just let them sleep in the yard. As it's getting colder they've been doing it less though.

If I do need them to go in the coop I just walk behind them slowly and they walk right in. But then of course I have to close the door so they don't just walk back outside.

~~Ms.B

 

[iluvsedward]

My 2 welsh harlequins live with my chickens and follow them around and sometimes the go in the coop and sometimes they wait at the door i and have to herd them in, but the later it gets, the more likely mine are to go in the coop

 

[NHchicks]

Ducks sound so funny, the way they will or will not head to the coop at night.

I have a dog that keeps predators at bay and if I'm not going to be home at dusk I keep her outside to guard the grounds. Without that dog, I couldn't free range. But I lock everyone in securely at night.

Ducks will start quacking in the middle of the night? For no reason?

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Yeah, mine do. They'll walk right by the house at 2 in the morning and start quackin like crazy. It was especially annoying when we had all the windows open this summer.....

 

[donnavee]

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).

I have the same experience. I normally give them some peas at night in their pen so they run to go in when they see me coming with the bowl. If I'm late, they normally go in and wait for me. I have 2 ducks that were raised by a broody hen and they go in with the chickens at bedtime. Silly things seem to think they are chickens. Normally, they will need to be trained as they don't sleep tight at night like chickens.

 

[wildpeas]

Ducks sound so funny, the way they will or will not head to the coop at night.

I have a dog that keeps predators at bay and if I'm not going to be home at dusk I keep her outside to guard the grounds. Without that dog, I couldn't free range. But I lock everyone in securely at night.

Ducks will start quacking in the middle of the night? For no reason?

Mine are very quiet in their house at night and don't start making noise until dawn and even then they are much quieter than when they are outside.

I give my ducks a bowl of lettuce and peas every night in their house. They are always waiting in front of the house doors quacking their heads off by dusk. They do not have a covered yard so we rearrange our schedules to make sure they are safe at night. This year we have an over abundance of raccoons so we are being a little extra vigilant.

 

[Donna Raybon]

At night, I use a flashlight to herd ducks where you want them to go. Don't shine it in their eyes, but just to one side, like you would use the bamboo pole to guide them in....works on the Mallard derived ducks. Muscovy are about like herding cats or goats- it ain't happen'n!! They (Muscovy) respond better to being led with treats to where ever you want them to go. Like others have mentioned, ducks get treats when they go where they are supposed to go. If you are just starting out with them, I would keep them penned a few days, then start letting them out a couple hours before dark. It can also be helpful to put a small cage inside your pen and put a couple of the ducks in there before you let the others out. Then, they will want to go back in the larger pen to be with two ducks in the cage. After a few days you can let everyone out when all get the hang of going back into the larger pen.
I have to get secure place to lock up my Muscovy as we are putting a new roof on the house. Females are used to roosting on the roof and the rest are safe on the ground in our fenced yard with three LGD keeping predators out. But, with new roof (nice, red, shiny!!) it is either clip wings or pen at night.
And, I have to get a place to put my Black Copper and Blue Copper Marans.... so time to build a bigger poultry house!

Donna
Dandridge, TN USA

 

[Gomes Bantams]

No! My ducks go up to the front door and look inside and scare they bejebers out of me!