Do your ducks obey requests?

[cymbaline]

The other day they were all in the creek, having all kinds of splashy fun, but it was getting dark and really cold and I was ready to go inside. I yelled, hey ducks, come on, let's go, and gestured back toward their pen. A few looked at me for couple seconds, then went back to swimming. Over the span of a minute or so I did that a few more times, and told them I'd give them some lettuce, and can you believe they actually hopped out and came up the bank and started heading toward the pen?! Man, ducks are so smart! (when they wanna be ) Still not sure if they understood the gesture or understood the word "lettuce", lol, but it worked!

 

[Brahmachicken240]

The amount of times this has happened to me, sometimes I wasn’t able to get them out and the worries I had of something getting them.

 

[momma2many1974]

The other day they were all in the creek, having all kinds of splashy fun, but it was getting dark and really cold and I was ready to go inside. I yelled, hey ducks, come on, let's go, and gestured back toward their pen. A few looked at me for couple seconds, then went back to swimming. Over the span of a minute or so I did that a few more times, and told them I'd give them some lettuce, and can you believe they actually hopped out and came up the bank and started heading toward the pen?! Man, ducks are so smart! (when they wanna be ) Still not sure if they understood the gesture or understood the word "lettuce", lol, but it worked!

I have 17 ducks but only 16 that are outside. They get lettuce in the morning and again at bedtime. I go out about 6-630pm and tell them it's bedtime and they run right to the coop. We trained ours from the time they were young with lettuce. They see the bowl and they go straight to bed.

 

[thumper650]

Mint understand "inside" when I want them in their run. They also usually respond to "come on boys" when I call them, but it's usually because I have food.

 

[Miss Lydia]

All I have to do is get the treat bowl and I have their attention, or if they are in another part of the property I can whistle and shake the bowl and they come running.

 

[cymbaline]

The amount of times this has happened to me, sometimes I wasn’t able to get them out and the worries I had of something getting them.

Oh, I've had to keep on the Golden Girls well after dark a few times! Usually only have trouble getting them to come back if they haven't been out long or haven't been out in a while though. Blanche is the only one who's ever spent the night outside the pen, and that was only after hours of tears and sending someone in a kayak to look for her, lol. And I was back out there shortly after sunrise.

 

[Abriana]

How cute!

 

[chickens really]

Mine understand me. I just say bed time and they waddle back to their pens. Feathered Puppies...

 

[cymbaline]

I have 17 ducks but only 16 that are outside. They get lettuce in the morning and again at bedtime. I go out about 6-630pm and tell them it's bedtime and they run right to the coop. We trained ours from the time they were young with lettuce. They see the bowl and they go straight to bed.

Wow! Do you think they understand if you just say it, and they don't get a visual cue? And do you think that would work earlier in the day?
That's my problem...usually if it's not dark enough, they refuse, lol. If I'd waited another 15-20 minutes the other day, they'd have most likely gone on home on their own - I was just cold and didn't wanna wait, lol.

 

[cymbaline]

Mint understand "inside" when I want them in their run. They also usually respond to "come on boys" when I call them, but it's usually because I have food.

All I have to do is get the treat bowl and I have their attention, or if they are in another part of the property I can whistle and shake the bowel and they come running.

Mine understand me. I just say bed time and they waddle back to their pens. Feathered Puppies...

Man, y'all have some intelligent, well-behaved ducks!! Maybe I should've put more effort into training them when they were young. I can usually get their attention if I shake some lettuce around, but they don't respond to much else if they're out playing, lol. I'm not saying they've never listened to anything I've said before, of course, but I've never been able to basically just ask them to get out of the creek and they actually do it - I was amazed, lol.