Getting ducks to stay in the pond

[DrakeMaiden]

I've never had ducks that could fly! How do you deal with that? Do they come home at night? Do you just assume you will lose a few?

My husband and I joke about one of our girls dreaming of her wild mallard drake, with whom she'd like to have offspring (that can fly)!

 

[ml]

Some of my Muscoives fly and the Mallards fly a little. I got such a kick at them doing circles and comming back to the home base.

I had the same opinon as the others first time two ducks got to it. Seems water was a big motivator for duck play of all sorts.

Glad I am not a duck either.

ML

 

[ozark hen]

My mallards take flight about twice a day. They just go in real big circles around the property. I have warned all my neighbors that they will be flying around and to please not shoot any of them. My muscovies are too young yet. I understand that just the females fly as the males are too heavy?

 

[Fnkcomo]

I know this post is really old but hopefully someone can help! I got ducklings at 10 days old and kept them in a coop for safety from predators. They are now too big for the coop so I tried introducing them to our 2 acre pond. They will go in but stay very close to the edge and come right back to my patio after about an hour. I want them to stay in the pond and use the duck house. Any suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you know snapping turtles are big predators of ducklings and ducks? This maybe one reason they aren’t going out into the deeper water. How old are they now? They feel secure up by your house since that’s where they were when young. You’ll not get them to stay on the pond and eventually they will be picked off if you don’t give them proper protection. What is their coop like? Do you intend to close them up at night?

 

[Isadora]

I know this post is really old but hopefully someone can help! I got ducklings at 10 days old and kept them in a coop for safety from predators. They are now too big for the coop so I tried introducing them to our 2 acre pond. They will go in but stay very close to the edge and come right back to my patio after about an hour. I want them to stay in the pond and use the duck house. Any suggestions?

If there's a certain house you want them to use down by the pond, you'll need fencing to keep them in that vicinity until they decide to use it.