how do you get your ducks to go to bed?

[boxedcow]

I have been fairly lucky with my "Gucks" (2 geese, 2 ducks). They have a pen they sleep in at night that locks and a yard attached to it. They hang out in this during the day while I am at work but I let them out when I get home and on the weekends. I do put them back into their run at least an hour before bedtime so as to lower my chances of having to chase them around. I really don't have to round them up however to get them in. I basically just change their water and put it inside and that is their signal its bedtime and they march in on their own. I am pretty on schedule with what I do (my geese don't like change) and I think that helps quite a bit. If I have issues getting them into their yard I do resort to romaine lettuce, my cayuga Jane will runwaddle her little butt so fast across the yard quacking up a storm as soon as she sees it.

My Schedule

6:30am I let them out, rinse / fill water and put it in their yard
4:00pm let them out into big yard
5:30pm put them into their yard if they haven't wandered back in on their own (this is also where their pools are). Stretched arm, slowly walking steering approach works well + a lot of patience if you have recently moved their pen/yard
6:30pm I rinse/ fill water and put it in their pen, lock them up. This time may change depending on how fast it gets dark. It used to be around 7ish

I leave food in their pen all day and refill it at night if I need to, fall has come up on us so quick there isn't much grass left for them to munch on in my area. They are pretty good at regulating themselves.

 

[dumb_cluck]

I start them out as babies to be in a pen. (After they are out of the brooder).

During the day, they are outside in their pen and their pool (unless the weather is really bad). If the weather is too bad to be outside, I have a similar indoor pen for them without a pool.

At night, I herd them into their "cage" ( a large dog kennel --- the plastic kind with vents along the top and a wire door)

If you keep up the routine, your ducks will go to bed. HOWEVER, I cannot guarantee that they will be quiet

I also have a small portable cage that I use to transport them to and from the outdoor pen. It is a bit of a pain but I don't have to chase them either!

Hope this helps.

 

[ChickInDelight]

Mine are FINALLY starting to go in rather reliably, however, if I don't get home until after dark - forget it. Their house is outside the fenced yard, and they have slept for many months in the fenced yard.

They look hungry today, because my motto is - No house = no Purina.

I would prefer not to have food in the house at night both for predators and to reduce the mess, but it will be a long time before this nighthouse trick is a habit.

 

[LLCoyote]

This may not help YOU but maybe I got off easy. My ducks put themselves up. For like a month I put them in when the sun started to set. Now if I leave the gate open, they'll be in the pen at sun down when I come to close the door. It's also when I put new food in the bowl. I've heard but never tried peas. People say it's great for convincing ducks to do what you want. I'd say establish a patterns with them and it may help.

 

[jbrown_14105]

To ALL duck loving folks....
I have to agree with the ones who have posted about feeding at dusk.....with ducks it is all about routine.....routine....routine....
Feeding at dusk in their pen or "duck house" what ever that is seems to work best for most ducks.
Mine are all Pekins, both Drakes & Hens, but the key is feed at night.
Mine are allowed to free-range during the day, pen door is opened up sometime in the AM, depending my wife Cheryl & my schedule and left open all day.
At night they do not always go in the pen by themselves but they always do "sleep" (wait right by the pen) ready to go in.

I have also found that if the feed pail has a 2 day supply (I fill it up real well) they seem to know...going in during the daytime to feed as individuals they don't seem to "camp" as close to the pen as when the feed pail is empty (after "inspection" during the day).

So I have learned to not fill it up so far, poultry pellets & cracked corn is the preferred feed, though they do get some laying mash & oyster shell for the hen ducks.

Also a nice "ritual" for evening is a 10-15 minute "hosing down" with the garden hose on various types of spray is also (and ONLY) a night/dusk event that they all have learned to love....."just don't try to spray me/us during the day....I'll run away"! (go figure)
They all stand up straight and tall and face the garden nozzle and it's kind of like they are saying..."HIT Me......Go ahead and Hit Me"...I like it! they never seem to get enough of this in the evening. (I'll post pics when I get some)

Just my two quacks....
Jim Brown
Lockport NY in the country

 

[jbrown_14105]

PS I DON"T have any water in the duck house (wood structure)
ALL water is outside, heated bucket for the winter for drinking, too small by design for swimming!
might submerge a tub with a sinking heater for winter.
Jim Brown
Lockport NY

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
if I'm feeding at night inside, I put water inside. feed's dry and they need water to process it properly. but no indoor pond, that's for sure.

 

[jbrown_14105]

Quote:
if I'm feeding at night inside, I put water inside. feed's dry and they need water to process it properly. but no indoor pond, that's for sure.

Our heated water pail is just outside the door of the duck house, they all seem to want to "choke it down" most times anyway, and when they do get too dry they just wander to the door, get a drink and head back to feed some more. After that is is a swim outside in the small pool.
Jim Brown
Lockport NY

 

[RunnerWhisperer]

Mine have been on a regular bedtime schedule since I had them at 2 days old. They are use to being put away at night. Sometimes if it get's a little dark they will wander towards their pen and sometimes already be in it when I go out. Most night's I have to calmly walk them in without the doggies running around. They will try to split off and go in seperate directions at the entrance if they really aren't ready to go to bed. If this happens I just round them up and try again. Somtimes it takes the big guns like a rake to get them in if they are being very bratty that time. Since I have been consistent it seems to go smoothly most of the time. My routine does include cleaning thier pen, changing the pond, cleaning out thier water bowl with fresh water and giving them some food. This may also help thier want to go to bed!?

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

Quote:
mine do go into their coop when it get's dark on their own, it's getting them into their run when play time is over during the day that's the trick! you see i let them in the yard for a while everyday and spend some time with them, but they can't stay out due to my dogs. they follow me everywhere and love being cuddled, especially when i call duckduckduckducky! they come running full speed

so i don't have a problem with them coming or being pet, the problem is they're too smart for their own good! they come running when i call and start to follow me till they realize my plan to put them in their run. then they just turn and walk the other way. guess i'll just have to pick them up when they're cuddleing with me and carry them in, spoiled little brats

it's ok though i love them and it's worth it