Do ducks go to BED at night like chickens?

[Born A Duck Lover]

I know my ducks freak out and quack loudly for me if I leave them in their day-time pen after it gets dark. When the sun goes down they know it's bedtime.

 

[JenniferK]

My ducks have had their night time house for about 4 days, and I have had to herd them into it (after dark) every night. The last two nights they've been floating on their pond (a 4' diameter x 18" livestock trough) which makes it even more challenging to get them where they're supposed to be. My question is, would they be safe from raccoons if they stayed in the pond for the night?

 

[KansasKid]

Valsey: Just now read your first 3 posts. Didn't take the time to read through the other post though. My ducks do put themselves up. right around dark i leave the door open and they go in and i just go and shut the door. Took a long time for them to start doing this but that gradually got the idea that the only way they get fed is to go up in the pen at that time.

I did however get them to do this by herding them in at that time of the day everyday. in your case you might try something special as a treat like peas or something as an incentive to go inside.

 

[chooniecat]

My experience with Pekin ducks is ,yes, they go into their kennel at night. I feed them then and THAT may be the encouragement they need. Have had the same pair for 8 years and I can say that when they were young(2 yrs. or so) they would stay in the pond because they wanted to act wild but after withholding their food for a couple of days(well-not on purpose-they got hungry because I refused to take their food to pond!!)they came in at night! good luck.

 

[valsey]

Do all of you free-range your ducks in the day? I was planning to, but now I'm concerned. What's your experience?

 

[Miss Lydia]

JenniferK I don't think your ducks would be safe from predators on a 4'x18" trough. It's best to put them up at night, less heartache and safer too.

 

[JenniferK]

Thanks, Miss Lydia. I guess the good news is that it's a small enough "pond" that it's not too hard to chase them off it! As far as feeding them at night to get them in their pen goes, I just worry about increasing the pooping in a very limited space.

 

[karmlacres]

At present, none of my birds free range. I'd like to get them to free range though. My adult dog doesn't bother the birds. She looks at them. Gets close to them. But otherwise ignores them. The 5 puppies though, are a lot more interested. Once I get my pups to accept the birds as family members, it's the neigbhorhood dogs I'd be worried about.... until we get our backyard fenced. There are cats, too - my cats don't give my birds any attention (but birds are in the pen). I've taken one cat into the pen and he just wanted to lay in my lap. Neighborhood cats won't come around with the dogs out. Dogs are not always out, though. Not sure how things will work when we get the birds moved to the farm. I'd like them to free range. In fact, I think all the ducks will ... hope to get started on the floating duck house sooner than later.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't feed my ducks at night, they can eat to their hearts content all day but when they go into their house the food gets put up..I put their food close to their sleeping quaters so thats the last thing they do on the way inside, is have a bite to eat and a drink of water.
my ducks free range inside a large fenced in area, unless I'm out with them then they get to come out of the fence and really have some fun..I have a goose who's kind of like the keeper of all things feathered but I still don't like for them to be ranging too far if I can't be out with them.

 

[1234duck]

My ducks have food & water available 24 hours a day. They free range in an area that they are fenced in all the time. It's not a bunch of acres that they free range but it's a good size area. Plus, I dig up Big Worms & Slugs almost everyday to dump in a small pool of dirt for them to dig up/eat. I couldn't imagine trying to lock them up at night the way they are always late night swimming. Julie