Ducks won't come to their house at night

[ducknoob]

I have 7 ducks that are about 2 months old and I recently let them go free range during the days. They love the pond that is about 30 yards from their house. The first day they did perfectly fine and at sunset I walked them back to their house and shut them up for the night. The next morning I let them out and they ran straight for the water. I have come back and set out food and tried drawing them out of the pond multiple times throughout the day but they refuse to come out. This is their second night that they will spend the night out of their house and I'm worried something will get them. There are a lot of predators around and I feel lucky they made it through the first night.. Now I just got to pray they make it tonight. Any ideas?

 

[Amiga]

Get help, you may need to use something like a long length of silt fence, get behind them and walk them back to their shelter.

You are right to be concerned.

 

[anniele27]

It may seem odd but I have read that a duck call (like the hunting type) can sometimes work! I wish you the best of luck!

 

[LucyArredondo]

I've been thinking of free ranging my own ducks that are around the same age. I don't really have a pond other than a large mud hole that collects rainwater when we get it regular. I was planning on supplying them with their own more personal water supply, like a kiddie pool or something similar. But I don't want this similar problem

 

[mom2mnem]

My four ducks did the same thing. The moment they got on our pond, that was the last they ever went in their house. I hate it! We lost one to something already and another lost part of a foot to a snapper (which we've since gotten). I'm hoping to make some sort of floating house for them and see if I can train them to go in that.

 

[ducknoob]

Well after a few nights out on the pond they figured it out and are coming back home every night for food and shelter!

 

[Going Quackers]

Well after a few nights out on the pond they figured it out and are coming back home every night for food and shelter!

Good to hear, imagine that is a relief!

 

[petesgirl]

Ahh, that is great news! Sometimes my runners go right into their house when I tell them to and sometimes they don't. I have discovered that a flashlight shined on the ground herds them right in. Although I think they are catching on to that, so I use that technique sparingly!