Is there a better way?

[Kaitie09]

Our two mallards moved in with the chickens 2 days ago and now have a large run during the day. We lock them all in the coop at night, but we have to chase the ducks down. Once we clip their wings, we were planning on letting them free range with the chickens during the day, but there is no way that is possible if they will not come in at night. The coop is about 3 feet off the ground with a very large ramp. They will walk down it in the morning to come out, but we have not seen them walk up it at all. We keep the food inside and are worried they are not getting enough to eat, so we have been putting a little bowl outside too. Are there any better ways to herd them up the ramp, or to train them to go in at night? Any suggestions would be helpful. I feel awful chasing them around.

 

[Wifezilla]

Ducks can be brats about going to bed. They should figure it out eventually, but that doesn't mean they are going to make it easy for you

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I had ducks for 3 years (Mallards, Runners & Swedish) and they NEVER went into the coop at night. They would go in to lay in the nest boxes during the day, but would not stay in there. It must be the nature of the duck to want to be out in the open. Even when we physically put them in the coop, they wouldn't stay.

 

[Amiga]

Bribes.

Consistently offer irresistible bribes that are only available when they go in.

 

[gofasterstripe]

MIne wait at the gate to get let in to the duck house every night. I got 7 ducklings I hatched and sold last month back and it only took them 2 days to figure it out. Now when they see me coming and I say OK Lets go and they know its time to go to bed and up the stairs they go.

Tomorrow will be a different story. My ducks can tell the time. Im going to the sale tomorrow night and will have to put them up at 5. 2 weeks ago it took me 10 minutes to get them put up when I went to the sale. Ducks aint stoopid you know

 

[duckyfromoz]

How wide and at what incline is the ramp?

You say it is large- but the ducks may still be afraid of it. When coming down there is greater incentive for them to do so - looking back up to walk into a duck enclosed area is not as enticing.

 

[FarmrGirl]

Ducks like things to be on a schedule and never to deviate from the plan.

I find that it takes very consistent practice stuffing them into their houses at night, but they'll get the picture after a few days. Bribes are good too. I actually turn on a little light (or use a flashlight reflecting off the ceiling) in the house at dusk so that when it gets dark they can see the doorway waiting for them. It always works great for training the babies to go in... but I had at least 3 or 4 nights of chasing them down and stuffing them in the doorway before they ran in by themselves.

I still have a hard time getting their butts to bed, especially now that the weather is warming up. I come out there at 8:30pm to close up the doors and I can hear them splashing in their pools! LOL! Those little Cayuga knuckleheads are the worst about going inside at night! I can hear the little ladies out there making their grunting little quacks and I know they haven't gone to bed yet. As soon as I come out there with the flashlight tho... they run right up the ramp.

Your Mallards will learn and you won't have too much trouble with them once they get with the program.

 

[DurhamDuck]

You can put a cheap solar light near the doorway and in the evenings the light will bring the bugs and the ducks will flock to the light to eat up the swarming bugs under the light.

 

[Kaitie09]

Thanks for the suggestions. The incline is about 45 degrees. When they get separated and one is in the coop, the other will run directly under the door, just under the ramp. The door is 1' wide by about 14" high and we keep a light on in there at all times. We have a schedule of 8 to 8, but that it just because that is when the chickens are in bed by. We actually did not start locking coop up until the ducks went in. We have never lost a chicken in 5 years, but I am afraid that if the ducks stay out all night, they will attract something. Could we possibly just build a small "safe house" that is on ground level and under the coop, but could be open all night?


Here is a picture of the ramp.

 

[DurhamDuck]

If a weasel can get in there, he'll eat your ducks. If the enclosure is tight and can't be dug under it would probably be alright. But if they are out every night, predators will come looking and trying to get to them. If your confident in the enclosure being sound, try it.