It’s getting cold here! Ducks absolutely will NOT use their house!

[AshleyNicole06]

It’s getting real cold here in Iowa! My ducks refuse to sleep in their house! They would rather sleep in the grass or on cement! Even right next to it!
Sometimes I catch them hanging out in it in the morning or during the day though.
I think they’re going to get very cold.. especially at night when the temp drops! And when it starts snowing!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure to offer water anytime you offer food.

Ducks herd really well and if you walk slowly behind them using your arms or long poles you can get them inside and lock the door. Don't want to leave them outside where preds are roaming around looking for an easy meal.

 

[Wynette]

I had to "train" my ducks to use their coop; first, I put them in there, physically. Once they were settled down, I took a dish of their favorite treat, Cheerios. I did that for 2-3 nights in a row, rattling the bowl so they could hear the noise. After a few days, all I needed to do was rattle the bowl, and they came running, because they knew they would get a treat when they went into their coop. Several more evenings like this, and it became habit for them to go in when the sun began to go down.

 

[17 chickens]

You should think about putting a door on the house not only for warmth but for protection from critters looking for food. I always lock my critters up cause it just takes once and the all could be gone!

They don’t really have a house that locks. They are locked in the fence with their house open to use as they please. But they don’t sleep in it at night when it’s cold! I’m just worried they’re gonna get real cold when they’re sleeping in the grass!
I don’t know what they’re going to do when we get tons of snow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Duck/chicken coop

Duck house
Broody coop

Goose house
During the day they are fenced in with no climb horse fence with barb wire around top, half acre.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It won't matter to a predator if they are real close to the house or not. Raccoons and bears climb right over the fence here and come into the property our birds are on during the day I have caught them on the game camera. So if I didn't lock mine up they'd be gone in no time, Unless you have a LGD they will come right up to the house for duck dinner. Put up some kind of fencing around their house then herd the boys in every evening before dark. Even a dog kennel fence can be made secure with hardware cloth and locks. Might find something like that on craigs list?

 

[ladytoysdream]

You need to put them in a secure type building for at night.
A predator will wipe them out real easy if they are sleeping outside
with no protection.
My group goes into their building at night for lockdown. They have
a kennel run that is tarped including the roof. They can go into the bigger
kennel yard during the day. Give them a dry spot so when they lay down
they are protected from the damp ground. Give them options.
Mine are out in the snow covered yard today. However, they can come
and go into the tarped area when and if they choose to. I keep their
grain and water in the tarped area. And give them treats there also.
That way, they are trained to come in. Their sleeping quarters is only about
6 feet away. I open that area for them at night. I also have chickens.
Yesterday I got them some different straw. This stuff is chopped up in
smaller pieces and they really enjoyed playing with it. I also keep wooden
nest boxes on the ground in one corner in the tarp area. This way, they
will lay their eggs in them. My khaki girls are laying real good currently.
They lay better than the chickens

 

[3bird]

Glad you're getting it figured out! Our guys much prefer being out, but when the temps really fall, we can drop the door and lock them in the duckhouse at night. On the ramp question, our guys have a pretty long ramp. I remember thinking they were never going to learn to use it. Now they love it!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Listen...They are Ducks and so much worry and hype over a ramp is crazy..They learn and do not die..Do I need to post pictures?...Of course not.

Evidently you've never had a duck injure a leg from jumping from too high a height but that doesn't mean we shouldn't use precautions to keep our birds from injury if we can help it. It's out responsibility to keep them safe. Heavier breeds can have leg injuries. Of course up to OP what she /he decides with their own birds I just gave an experience from what happened here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes injuries can happen when not expecting them too.
My main reason was if we can do things to prevent them then that is best.