Indian runner house help

[smetcalfe1]

I have just bought 4 teenage Indian runners which I'm new to. I'm wanting to keep them in our garden not the chookcage, as I love watching them roam the garden, so have built a little house for them to sleep in at night. The problem is when I let the ducks out in the daytime I can't get them back into their house at night, so we end up having to chase them and catch them and this isn't making the ducks feel happy settling in to their new home! I did leave them in the little house for 2 days at the start, hoping they would learn that it is their home. The house is only little, so it's not where I'd like to leave them too long. What should I do? Should I not let them out for a couple more days? I feel sad they're not settling in and happy.

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BYC!

It takes a while for ducks to learn that the house is where they sleep.Its best to start showing them when there babies but since you have teens i would just keep chasing them in or you could throw treats down by the door then push them in the coop.If you keep putting them in they will learn.

 

[smetcalfe1]

Thank you for your help, but at this stage they're really scared of me and will always run the other direction, food doesn't seem to make any difference. I'm concerned as it's a 2 person job and my husband is going away the day after tomorrow, so I'll be chasing them on my own!

 

[jofanx]

Are they scattering? I found ducks really easy to herd by walking slowly behind them and having a looong bamboo stick to control if they go left or right. I don't need to physically pick them up to herd them into their coop. Is the entrance to the coop really small?

Maybe if you keep their food and water source in the coop for a few days? They return to it several times during the day and get used to it?

 

[smetcalfe1]

Aah, thank you jofanx - the bamboo stick would really help!