How do I get them to go in the pool?

[M1ssK1mmy]

We made a ramp with an old plank of barnwood for the ouside. Then added an island in the center out of paver stones. We tossed in worm bits & they started diving for them. Very cute to watch!

 

[Chicken + Duck = Ducken!]

I have 3 ducklings named Apollo, Ares, and Shade who are about 4 weeks old. You know how ducks tend to bond to a human if they snuggle the ducklings a lot? Well, I've got these guys thinking that I'm momma duck. I was worried that they may drown in a baby pool, so I j ust dug a hole in my yard its about one foot deep to feet long one footwide. When I first filled it with water, they where terrified of it. I put chick feed and mealworms in the water. Didn't get anyducks in the water, but had a white broiler hen wanting to go swimming all of the sudden. I finally realized that since I'm "momma duck" they follow me and try to mimic me. I got in the puddle, made my hand look like a beak ( I still don't know how they think my hand is a beak) and I made the "beak" splash around and "drink" the water. When the ducklings saw that, they came charging forward and stopped at the edge of the water. They still doubted its safety, even though momma was in it, so I guess they came up with a plan. My only boy duckling, Ares, was at the very edge, so the two girl ducklings, Apollo and Shade, tackled him from behind and pushed him in. We all know ducks are kinda clumsy, and when the two girls tackled the boy, they ended up tripping and falling in to. For the rest of the day they kept giving me a dirty look, but inthe end they where happy about discovering their water.

 

[Going Quackers]

We just kept lifting ours in

but a ramp on a more solid pool would be a good idea. Ours is just a teeny inflatable infant pool so real low sides they can climb in/out now no problems.

 

[fishnet1971]

I just look my three 7 week olds in the eye, shake my finger at them sternly and say 'Now you KNOW you are NOT to go into that pool, my flower beds, my watergarden, or my garden. SO you had BETTER head my requests little (not so little anymore) ones, or else NO peas, no strawberries, and no under the bill rubs for you!" that works every time. turn my head and blam, into my water garden they will go!

Seriously, I kinda of herded them into the pool the first time. built a run of stones and sand up to the edge so they could get into it. They were scared the first time, go out, saw that it wasnt gonna hurt them, realized they liked it the next day and so goes the story of lead a duck to water.

 

[DuckDuckGoosed]

I'm new to ducks myself but @ about 2-3 weeks of age my little flock of 3 ducklings and a gosling were in dire need of a bath so I used a low plastic container and warm water and dumped one in...the first one came out as quick as I put it in so I put 2 at the same time and they stayed in and the other 2 followed on thier own.

I did dry them up a bit afterwards with a towel and used a heater by thier baby pool brooder to finish drying them and to keep them warm. You just need to stay with them as they can get waterlogged and drown (since I the human "mamma" can't waterproof them).

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

LOL!!! i agree with sirchrisd my dad put a bid old worm in their cage and they ran like heck it was so funny, and have a pond for my duckies they were scared of it at first to but its hard to get them out to put them away for the night now LOL i put dog food in my pond not alot just a little to much might hurt them just a litttle bit every day for a few days til they get used to it they will be in it all the time then, don't worry they will be in it before you know it (as long as you have dog food LOL).

 

[USMCwifey]

I've had my 7 week old Pekins outside for 2 weeks now and they STILL want nothing to do with our pond. The will walk up to it, peck around it, but they won't go it! e've tried herding them in... no go. We've tried peas, cat food, and duck food... still won't go in. We've even tried throwing 2 at a time in and all they do is hurry their little butts back to shore!

Stubborn little ducks I'll tell ya! I just figure if I keep bringing them to the pond one day they'll catch on. I guess if not my next task is to GO in the pond and see what happens.