Ducks Escaping After Sunset?

[CountryMapleFar]

I have a pair of Call Ducks (about 4 months old) that live in the chicken coop and run with a bunch of chickens and guinea hens. The last week or so after the sun goes down the ducks fly over the run and into the yard. I have to go out there and corral them back into the coop. If I didn't corral them they would happily spend the night somewhere in the yard. Which isn't safe.

I'm wondering if anyone knows why they would do this.

Do you think if I build them a small house inside the chicken coop they will be more likely to sleep in there?

I know covering the run will keep them inside, but I want the guinea hens to be able to get in and out as they please.

Thanks for the help!

 

[farm316]

If your ducks don't like sleeping with your Chickens then since it would be in the nighttime why couldn't you just separate the run from the main part of your coop and allow the ducks too sleep in the run. Remember you ducks don;t roost so you don't need a roost have them sleep on the ground. We built ours a whole new coop because we were afraid that the ducks would get pecked on and that there would be some territorial issues. So our ducks have a new coop (I can try and take a pic) with there tub, but you don't need a new coop for the ducks, stick e'm in the run. Where do your guines sleep?? The keets shouldn't be up and about in the dark don't you think?? Does the run have a roof on it??

 

[JadeComputerGal]

If your ducks don't like sleeping with your Chickens then since it would be in the nighttime why couldn't you just separate the run from the main part of your coop and allow the ducks too sleep in the run. Remember you ducks don;t roost so you don't need a roost have them sleep on the ground. We built ours a whole new coop because we were afraid that the ducks would get pecked on and that there would be some territorial issues. So our ducks have a new coop (I can try and take a pic) with there tub, but you don't need a new coop for the ducks, stick e'm in the run. Where do your guines sleep?? The keets shouldn't be up and about in the dark don't you think?? Does the run have a roof on it??

I can't agree with that. I think County would be much better off doing what you did. If they're just in a run with no coop, they'll have no protection from rain, cold, or snow if they get it where he/she lives. Plus that wouldn't allow her guineas to get out through the top of the run like she wants.

 

[farm316]

yes that is true…. So I guess just building or getting another coop for the ducks.

 

[Trent Hardy]

Couldn't you just cut their flight feathers a little so they couldn't fly, or am I missing something? That's what we did with our muscovies...

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I've heard some people use large dog houses for duck houses. I see those very frequently on Craig's List, and most are very inexpensive. I suppose they'd need to be thoroughly cleaned before you'd want to use them for ducks, but certainly four little Calls could sleep in something like that with no problems.

 

[CountryMapleFar]

I guess I didn't give enough information.

Hopefully I can explain this so it makes sense.

The ducks seem to really like sharing the space with the other birds. The ducks can get into two different coops (as can the chickens). The nights they don't fly out of the run they actually sleep in the bigger coop with the chickens and guinea hens. The guinea hens either sleep with the chickens or sleep up in the trees. Most nights its with the chickens.

The run is not covered. The way the two coops are set up the the smaller coop has a run that is inside a larger run. I can close that off and keep the ducks in the smaller space. I don't think they would have enough space to be able to fly out... and this space would be much easier to cover since it is much smaller. The only problem with this is they wouldn't be with the other birds. The could see them though.

I'm thinking that the ducks like a smaller space to sleep in... so I could have my husband build a smaller house inside the coop for them... maybe they would like something like that? The coop is plenty big enough for that.

 

[farm316]

that would work!

 

[DurhamDuck]

My duck did this for two weeks and I couldn't figure out why. Every night she would eat with the rest and then crawl out of her sleeping area. Occasionally a few others followed her, but usually it was just her.

Keep an eye on them during the day. Mine would eat, swim, for anywhere between five minutes and even forty-five minutes when I put her out in the mornings. Then she would sneak off. I followed her and found her sitting on more than a dozen eggs.

Follow them and see where they're going. Mine made her nest under a bunch of spiderwebs and unused gardening tools.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

that would work!

Agreed. Sounds good to me!