Ducks on a pond trip

[Alaskan]

I have this great big pond.

BUT the pond isn't fenced.

I could easily herd the ducks TO the pond, but then how would I get them back to their coop again?

And the pond has no scary critters in it..nothing to hurt the ducks.

The ducks do NOT run to me.

My kids like to hold and pet them, and the ducks still see this as torture, so like to run away from humans.

I am trying to get the kids to catch worms and feed them to the ducks to try to teach them to run *TO* people, but we haven't been successful yet.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I've heard of someone herding their ducks with a rowboat before. Sounds dangerous to me, though.

 

[karanleaf]

I have a dozen Rouen ducks they are put in the run every night and then to bed in their shed. In the morning they are let out to free range. They roam the yard and part of our horse pature, I have not seen them go to either of our 2 ponds. But since the pasture was just mowed yesterday they might venture futher. They get their feed and water when they go out of the run. We do not feed them inside the shed. They usually follow who ever has the green water bucket as we go to fill the water bowl and food pans. I usually call 'come on duck duck, 'come on duck duck' as we walk to the water and feeding area. And they usually will follow when you repeat 'come on duck duck'. We also shower them with the water hose when filling their wadding pools too. Our older drake is use to us feeding him night crawlers also. So he knows if we call Peanut here Peanut we have a treat for him. We also pick him up once in a while, some times we have to have him sorta cornered before he sits down. Usually not a big chase scene. This all takes time. At evening the ducks are always sitting next to the run ready to go in. Hope this helps we just keep a routeen

 

[DuckLady]

You can get them into a routine. Ducks thrive on routine. If you feed treats only feed at the end of the day in their pen. Also, if you feed them in the evening they will come back because they are hungry. We yell "BEDTIME" as we put ours away for the night and we can yell "bed time!" and they will start to the pen.

After a few hundred years the routine will be ingrained in their little duck brains and they will go to their night pen at night because they are programmed.

 

[Alaskan]

Quote:

SO true! It only took a month to teach them to go up the ramp to the coop!

 

[MaineChickens]

Quote:
This is so true and I find it funny. Because of needing the electrical outlet in the middle pen I had to move my ducks from one pen to the pen directly next to it. They would line up at the gate to their old pen full of broiler chickens at night instead of going into the one 3 feet away with all their stuff.

Funny little duck brains.... gotta love them- poop and all.