Ducks can't see at night.

[RunnerWhisperer]

I have also noticed that my two runners act like they can't see in the dark either. I do usually try to put them in their pan at night at dusk so they have as much time as possible to run free in the yard. A few times I didn't put them in until after dark and noticed that they were reluctant to walk forward at all. I practically had to stand on them to get them to walk. I tried using a flash light but that seems to freak them out even more! We did put in one of those solar garden lights right next to their pen, it gives them a little bit of light. Last night I didn't get them in until late, as I was walking them into their pen they both stopped right at the door. This was the first time I actually got to touch them. without chasing them around. I reached down and lightly pushed them both into their pen and shut the door.

Yea, I don't think they like the dark! To scarry!!

 

[SaskCritters]

We have four ducks (some mallard-ish breed I think).... blind as bat's at night. If i turn on the red light on my headlamp, I can open the gate and walk right into the pen and stand right beside them, pick them up, move them around - whatever. They know I'm there - but they can't seem to figure out where. If I try the same thing during the day - they scoot to the other end of the pen long before I even get to the gate.

 

[bwmichaud]

I tried rounding my Cayugas up and getting them into their pen for the night and they seemed to run into everything as if they didn't see it.

 

[desertdarlene]

Most birds don't see well at night just like us. Remember that time when there were a bunch of bird deaths? They say that was because the birds were startled while roosting at night and ended up flying into each other and other objects.

 

[GrannyCarol]

My ducks are that clumsy during the day! lol However, they seem happier to go into their pen if there is a light on, so I assume they prefer a bit of light. Ducks are not diurnal though, they are as active at night as at day. Go figure.

 

[ZoeS95423]

My ducks go crazy if they cant see, in there coop at night they will just quack and quack, and im always worried that there is something in there trying to get them, but then I put a dim light in there and they are quiet until about 6 am for them to go out.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
when we lived in the high desert, we had a low spot that would fill up with a foot of water on the rare occasions we got rain. when there was water in the impromptu pond, the ducks would keep us up all night quaking past our window on their march down to the pond, and then back up to their pen. over and over and over.

don't know if they could see well or not, but it sure didn't affect their 20 trips a night to the pond.