Help ducks do not want to go outside without me!

[Kmdejesus116]

Update: Ducks have acclimated to being outside all day. I live in Florida (it is always hot). They wake up between 7 & 8 in the morning. We go outside and they stay outside until they quack to come inside around 7 & 8 at night. They have access to roam free around my yard. It is fully and safely enclosed. They eat all the grass they want. They have their own pool, plenty of water to drink. The pool gets cleaned out daily or every other day. Their water jug gets cleaned and filled as needed. They get fed game food 4x a day. They are on a schedule. They have bushes to hide in (shade). They sleep inside in a clear bin. It is cleaned and has fresh bedding everyday. They sleep all night until the morning. They never fly out of the bin until I come in to greet them good morning. Am I doing a good job? Any suggestions of what else I may be missing? They play with my dog and chase my cat. I would like to interact with them more when they are inside. Can anyone recommend good duck diapers. What temperature is too cold for them? They seem to like the rain. They are not afraid. They try to drink it. I welcome helpful suggestions. I love my ducks and want them to live their best life. I will NOT clip their wings, they are free to fly away. They will always have a home if they want to come back.

 

[chickens really]

If they are adjusted to being outside..I would not bring them inside. Sit and visit them daily is all they need from you. Sounds like they are happy Ducks..

 

[Kmdejesus116]

They only come inside at night to sleep. I haven’t built a coop yet. I conditioned them to quack to come inside when it is starting to get dark. They come inside on their own and waddle to their bedroom. I put them in their bin. I give them water and a little food before they rest up for the night. It has been this way for awhile now and they seem to be happy with this. They sleep through the night. They quack in the morning to wake me up to take them outside. The waddle happily and quacking all the way to the back door to be let out.

 

[chickens really]

They only come inside at night to sleep. I haven’t built a coop yet. I conditioned them to quack to come inside when it is starting to get dark. They come inside on their own and waddle to their bedroom. I put them in their bin. I give them water and a little food before they rest up for the night. It has been this way for awhile now and they seem to be happy with this. They sleep through the night. They quack in the morning to wake me up to take them outside. The waddle happily and quacking all the way to the back door to be let out.

Cute..Hopefully you get the Coop and Run finished soon.

 

[Abraeri]

Don't worry about them flying off, pretty much only Mallards are able to fly long distances, most domestic ducks are too heavy to fly any more than a few feet. Your ducks look like Cayuga and Pekin. You are doing a great job, they sound so happy.

 

[thumper650]

They only come inside at night to sleep. I haven’t built a coop yet. I conditioned them to quack to come inside when it is starting to get dark. They come inside on their own and waddle to their bedroom. I put them in their bin. I give them water and a little food before they rest up for the night. It has been this way for awhile now and they seem to be happy with this. They sleep through the night. They quack in the morning to wake me up to take them outside. The waddle happily and quacking all the way to the back door to be let out.

I'd just keep doing this routine. Might be too much when they're full grown.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you get your new boys @thumper650 ?

 

[MisaF]

They only come inside at night to sleep. I haven’t built a coop yet. I conditioned them to quack to come inside when it is starting to get dark. They come inside on their own and waddle to their bedroom. I put them in their bin. I give them water and a little food before they rest up for the night. It has been this way for awhile now and they seem to be happy with this. They sleep through the night. They quack in the morning to wake me up to take them outside. The waddle happily and quacking all the way to the back door to be let out.

This is what I did with my duck for a few weeks to get him used to being outside but not push him too much at once. I did it for a week maybe. Once I brought another adult duck home she jumped in to show my single human raised duck how to actually DUCK outside. Within a few days my single duck was like, "See you later, humans! I'm a duck!" I really think bringing in an adult who knew how to be a duck changed everything.

Now Duckens and Lily spend the night in a duck house together and hang with the the hens all day. Peace has been restored to the flock.

 

[thumper650]

Did you get your new boys @thumper650 ?

I did, yesterday!

My pekins are not amused. We. Introduced them on neutral territory, the runners chased the pekins back to their run!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s hilarious. I hope they can all be buds eventually. Those Runners are beautiful. As are your Pekin boys