Do ducks stick close to home?

[adobechicks]

Do ducks stick close to home or do they wander?? We live among fox. Our chickens stick close and are ok. But not sure if the ducks will do the same???

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do ducks stick close to home or do they wander?? We live among foxes. Our chickens stick close and are ok. But not sure if the ducks will do the same???

After they have been with you a while and know where they get feed they should, unless you have a pond, lake or stream then you may find them there more than home. They can be taught to come home and go inside at night for their protection though.

 

[adobechicks]

How do you teach them that?? They chickens naturally go to their coup every evening before dark.

 

[Mum]

My ducks take themselves back to their home before the chickens do

I didn't teach them that, but did keep them in their run and not let them out to free range for the first few days. That way, they had a safe area to calm after moving here and to feel a sense of security.

 

[adobechicks]

do your ducks and chickens house together?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How do you teach them that?? They chickens naturally go to their coup every evening before dark.

Only feed them at their enclosure that way when hungry they will come home. also ducks herd well but you have to get them out of the water first. lol My ducks go in their house every night without problem. But there was a time when I had 3 of my girls that wanted to stay out, and for 3 nights they wouldn't go in and I was sick with worry they would be killed. They are fine but wouldn't want to go through that again.

 

[adobechicks]

Good to know that they generally come home at night. When it is not snowy we don't have any problems. our hens were free ranging it all summer and fall without and incidents. They very first snowfall a fox got one of our hens about 5 min after i was out there with them. It really was a sneaky fox. Our chicken are like family. My kids carry them everywhere. So it is hard when they get nabbed. I think ducks would be even harder.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good to know that they generally come home at night. When it is not snowy we don't have any problems. our hens were free ranging it all summer and fall without and incidents. They very first snowfall a fox got one of our hens about 5 min after i was out there with them. It really was a sneaky fox. Our chicken are like family. My kids carry them everywhere. So it is hard when they get nabbed. I think ducks would be even harder.

I've lost a few chickens to preds and that is hard. I have had ducks going on 8 years and haven't lost one yet, and they all free range most days when i am home. Our dogs keep most land preds at bay during the day it's the hawks I am most concerned about. They are all over. Just the other day a hawk swooped down and I think our roo sounding the alarm was what saved them all. I always look forward to the trees leafing out then they all have better cover.

 

[Going Quackers]

Mine do, of coarse we keep the "focus" around the duck barn too. All the feed, water and pools are within range of it, they know to come back at dusk they are either in it already or waiting out front.