Indian Runners are a bit "slow" to learn and when to free-range?

[Summer98]

So far we are a bit disappointed with our new Indian Runner ducks. They seem to be a bit unintelligent. They can't learn how to go in and out of their duck house. They are extremely startled by everything, including me bringing food and water. They want to stay in their duck house and never want to play outside. When can I start free-ranging them? They are supposed to be great foragers, but I'm having a hard time believing that they will be because they like to huddle in the corner in their duck house. If they can't even figure out how to go in and out or come to the food and water, I have my doubts.

 

[palmerchick]

I love my runner ducks, but they aren't tame by any means. My daughter hatched out some chicks and we got the ducks at the same time, so they have always been together. They moved into the same coop together and have always cohabitated, so when I started free ranging my chickens the ducks just followed along. We did lose a couple ducks to the dog, but I have 8 left and just hatched 5 of my ducks eggs. Again, the ducklings have lived with chicks, so I plan to do the same thing.
Mine run and sqwack when I go into the pen, but I just try to talk calmly to them and just sort of ignore them when I'm in the pen. I also put a kiddie pool outside their pen when they went out to the coop, they couldn't wait to get into it. They provide us a lot of enjoyment just watching them scurry around the yard, I hope you can get them to leave the pen.