ducks not sleeping in their coop, what do I do?

[monkey]

I have two female ducks. I live in Maine, and there is a large pond at the end of my land, and woods all around. We have had problems with predators at night before. The ducks are free range and have always come back at night, but recently they have been sleeping by the pond (not in it - we found their nest today). I need advice on how to make them come back at night. Now that I know where their nest is, I can chase them in each night and hope it becomes a habit, but I was hoping BYC would have some ideas.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have two female ducks. I live in Maine, and there is a large pond at the end of my land, and woods all around. We have had problems with predators at night before. The ducks are free range and have always come back at night, but recently they have been sleeping by the pond (not in it - we found their nest today). I need advice on how to make them come back at night. Now that I know where their nest is, I can chase them in each night and hope it becomes a habit, but I was hoping BYC would have some ideas.

About the only way your going to get them home from the pond is keep them locked up, Once they find water like this it's hard to get them off of it, and now they have a nest which will make them even more vunerable to preds. Do you feed them at the pond or at their house? if at the pond don't do it any more feed only inside their house or run. that way hopefully if the get hungry they will come home then catch them or close the gate behind them you also maybe able to find something in the treat department[peas, mealworms ] that they only get at night before bed, start by shaking the bowl or whatever you put the theirs into and do this everytime you call them when i give my ducks and chickens their mealworms in the afternoon I shake the plastic container and whistle and they come running. It probably won't happen over night, but i am afraid your going to lose them if you don't try and find a way to get them safely locked up, even if it means no more pond.