Ducks outside overnight for the first time 😬

[threelittleduckies]

Ok so I’m a little nervous. My 3 runners are 8 weeks old today and are spending their first night in their secure pen outside. We finished building it yesterday. I thought I was ready for this but I have so many doubts now. They seem upset!!

They have a duck house inside the secure pen but they refuse to go in it! Are they okay to sleep under the stars??

also - they’ve always settled down for bed quietly when they slept inside the house but tonight they are NOISY! Quacking away loudly! I think they’re wondering where we are. They’d normally come to the garden door when they wanted to go to sleep and we’d let them in and they’d waddle over into their little pen inside and go to sleep. Is it ok to just suddenly leave them outside? I don’t want to stress them. They have spent all day in their new run, and seemed happy but started getting unsettled around “bedtime”.

They are pretty much fully feathered, they have food and water, and the little house with soft bedding is available (open) for them to use if they wish.

I’m worried about whether they’ll be ok...and are they going to be quacking away into the night?! Is it normal for them to be noisy after dark?

sorry for so many questions. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Scared most likely. Make them go inside their house. Since it's already dark you may have to pick them up and put them inside, but tomorrow start training them by slowly walking behind them with arms open herding them. It usually doesn't take long before they are going in on their own or just start them off in the direction of their house and they will go inside. Ducks pick things up fast if you are consistent . Mine only have to see the long mop handle I pick up and they are walking towards their house. You can also use a long pole instead of your arms I do one or the other . at 8 weeks they don't need food an water inside either it will sure go a long way in keeping them from trashing their house. My Runners are little slobs. (I love them anyway}

 

[threelittleduckies]

Thank you! I went back out and reassured them (lots of petting!) and they went into their house a lot more willingly this time! You’re right I think they were scared the sound of their quacks changed immediately when they saw me! They settled and went silent almost straight away and seem a lot happier in their house