Do Rouen ducks return to coop at night?

[Sowas Ark]

Hello all, I have Rouens and i'm wondering if i can let them out of their 15 x 6 x 5' covered/fenced enclosure during the day. They're still young at 13 weeks, so I'm going to wait (due to the plethora of chicken hawks in our area). My chickens/rooster always went back to their coop at sunset. Do ducks do the same thing or will I have to herd them. (They'll be free to roam in a large fenced backyard during the day.)

Thanks!!!!!!!

 

[lomine]

My ducks never caught on to the idea of going back into their run at dusk. Very rarely they would go in but usually the most they'd do was wait around near the run for me to heard them in. Though sometimes they are on the other side of the yard just doing duck stuff with no care that it was dark out. My coop is raised and the only time any one of them went up the ramp without coaxing was when one was broody and wanted to sit on a nest. So basically, no my ducks won't go in on their own. But that's just mine.

 

[Sowas Ark]

Huh. My coop has 2 levels. The ducks tend to go into the lower level under the roost during the day when it's hot & the sun is out. I think they also sleep there at night too. .

Do you every worry about anything getting at them? (I just moved to a new state so while I've seen nasty chicken hawks that will attack small animals and have heard about foxes and bears in the area, I haven't seen any.) (I moved from an area with a lot of bear, mountain lion, foxes, coyotes, you name it so I'm super vigilant and scared to let them out even during the day).

My other concern is that they are inundated with flies. I purchased the diatomaceous earth that was recommended here and it works great for a day. Then the flies come back the next day. Yuck! I'm hoping to let the ducks roam to cut back on the swarm in their 'home' and i want them to be healthy and happy!!

 

[lomine]

My coop and run are completely enclosed with hardware cloth so there isn't anything in my area that can get to them in there. Most days they are in by dusk or I'm out with them. I worry when they are in my yard. I think what I worry about most is dogs because they are the thing most prevalent. My yard is fenced. There isn't much more I can do. If a dog can get over a 5 foot fence it's going to get in. Most people in my neighborhood are pretty good about not letting their dogs run around though. The other worry is birds of prey but I don't have a lot of large breeds in the area. I haven't had a problem even though my birds are mostly white. I think it helps that we have a bunch of wild rabbits that would be their more natural prey. My yard also has tons of trees and large bushes for cover. I used to leave my ducks in the run all day unless I was home. Now I let the ducks out all day and my young chicks stay in the run. I guess for me the dangers of letting them out alone were outweighed by how much happier they are in the yard all day. I know it's a risk to let them out but their quality of life is much higher.

 

[Sowas Ark]

Thanks for the reply. Your set up sounds a lot like mine. I think they'd be okay out in my yard too since we are out there a lot, but it's getting them back in at night. Do they go in to the coop at night by themselves like chickens do, or do you have to herd them?

 

[lomine]

I have to herd them but it is really easy. To get them to the run I just walk behind them slowly. If they start to go off in a direction I don't want them to I just put my arm up. To get them in the coop I use a long stick because otherwise they just go right past the ramp.

 

[Sowas Ark]

haha. nice. Thanks. I'll definitely try it. I think once they're about 16 weeks, i'll start letting them in the yard. Thanks for all your (and everyone's) help!!!! This is such a great site!!

 

[Cklass90]

haha. nice. Thanks. I'll definitely try it. I think once they're about 16 weeks, i'll start letting them in the yard. Thanks for all your (and everyone's) help!!!! This is such a great site!!

Can I ask why you specifically chose 16 weeks? Mine are 9 but I reckon they're as big as they're going to get?

 

[Patrick McKee]

I let my 8 week old Rouens on my pond. They never came back...lol

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I let my 8 week old Rouens on my pond. They never came back...lol

Wow. They were just babies. Maybe a predator got them? At that age, they can't fly yet.