Ducks Acting Strangely In Clean Coop

[thomasboyle]

My mallard ducks are acting very strange today. This past weekend, I cleaned their coop on Saturday, removing all of the old bedding and putting in fresh bedding. They hardly came out of the coop today. They didn't drain their waterer as usual, they didn't swim in their small pool as usual. They just spent the entire day inside, even though it was a nice sunny day today. They did come out into the yard when I opened up the gate this evening, and they seem healthy. Could it be they like a clean coop that much? I use a deep litter bed, and this was my annual cleaning. I add hay to the bedding every 3 days or so, and the coop never smells or is wet etc. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

 

[Amiga]

Gee, I wish I had an answer. That seems odd, but maybe they really like the new bedding.... Hmmmm.

 

[duckins]

I've observed with my flock they do same thing for so long then they switch up. My three drakes have also spent past week coming out for 10-15 min then back in pen parked under their fan fri was 75f today 95f so temps can't be the reason. We live in the country not much traffic so when the ups man comes or an airplane all 20 run/attempt to fly and will not come out of their pen for one solid hour.

 

[thomasboyle]

The ducks have begun coming out more, I am chalking it up that they really liked the fresh hay. I know they are not crazy about the sand I have in the run for the chickens, so the clean bedding must have been the attraction. One intesting thing is they have two small pools in the run, and in the past, they always used the one on the right, largely ignoring the one on the left side of the run. Now they don't go near the one on the right, and completely drain the one on the left! They are eating and drinking like normal, and quacking away, so all ends well!

 

[Amiga]