How long should I keep ducks locked up?

[LydiaB]

I don't know where they spend time I have not seen them since I let them out, we just heard them by the house last night. We will see if they come back. I will probably go back to the place I got them and get some more. I will lock them up longer this time though. Maybe the other ducks will come to see their friends?

 

[ducklucky]

That's a shame. Don't know where you live, but sounds rural, and rural areas have critters. Critters love ducks, they are easy targets. If they are part mallard or other wild mix, you may not get them back easily. Ducks LOVE cracked corn, you can try to lure them that way as the previous duck owner suggested. Too bad you can't locate them. Next time, keep them confined for a couple of weeks and try to handle them a bit. Found that frozen peas, thawed, are like caviar to ducks. Put a lawn chair in the pen with them, sat with them for an hour or so a day and got them to eat out of my hand and not be so afraid of a little handling. When they see the bag of peas, they come running.

To the other previous writer, I too have a very long driveway similar to yours, we have over 30 acres, and they have access to at least one. My problem is they get so engrossed in moving over the lawn and down the driveway they forget how far they've gone and just caught them today at the very end. It's a quiet road, but some of the yee-haws here would probably hit them and claim them as road kill. Think we will try parking our vehicles at the end, maybe that will deter them, maybe hang some pie pans. They are easy enough to herd back up, but they do love their grazing so much they simply do not pay attention as to where they are. Plus we have lots of wild critters, coyotes, fox and plenty of hawks and eagles. Try to stagger their time out each day to confuse the wild things, but we also have neighbor about 1/5 mile away who let dogs run, they have been known to take down a fawn. Gotta keep an eye on them which is tough with so many other chores. Our two golden retrievers keep an eye on them, but we need to train them to herd, they are very watchful of our chickens, but the ducks are something new and they are more curious than anything. The pekins are about 9-10 weeks old, supposedly all female, but think we have a male or two (13 total). A couple are doing the head bobbbing thing when they see me so think we will have early layers.

Do any of you have plans to "process" any of your ducks, and if so, how difficult has it been to find someone to do the deed? We are in Maine, and no one wants to touch them unless they can skin them NOT! Supposedly now that they are over 8 weeks, their pin feathers are coming in and very messy and time consuming to take care of. Just looking for suggestions, we just can't do it ourselves. Thanks and good luck to all! Ducklucky.