Just cleaning out the coop requires a love hate relationship! After you do a mistake!

[happy duck]

So today I cleaned out my coop....fun but also terrible. I sprayed it out with a hose(don't go here if the time has just changed and it will NOT have time to dry out!). So this is the mistake I did today. I am dumb....I even sat there for a minute and just held the hose out for several seconds thinking: "should I do this"?. But being dumb...of course I did it! Ok I am not that dumb. Well anyway I still put straw in with it being a tad damp cuz I really wanted my duck not to endure the chilly weather and wanted them in there coop. So don't do this...unless deep cleaning is your thing and you just LOVE it, or you hate having to house you ducks in a wet coop( see where the love/hate relationship comes in?). One reason I also came on here was cuz I also just wanted to say Hi and meet some new people. I should have done this a while ago. About me: I live with my 4 ducks. Some would call me helicopter parent I call myself lovable and one to use my brain. Not a dumb decision there. I have been having a hard time wanting my ducks to go to the pond...afraid of them not coming back. If anyone has some suggestions with this(and duck going into woods) would be helpful. I don't have chickens and don't plan on getting them...at least not for now. I have a duck blog( that I would love for you guys to check out: https://thehappiestduck.wordpress.com/) where I share advice about ducks! So that about me...and the mistakes I have made(cuz not putting my ducks on the pond is sad to me)....

 

[BGcoop]

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well....gotta say the one animal that would be okay with wet it would be a duck!
I don’t have ducks only chickens.
But if I had them and wanted to have them return from the pond. I probably wouldn’t do it differently than chickens who free range.
Ducks/chickens are all food driven. Start with treats. Let them go for a short time then get out the treats and bring them back to the pen.
I’m thinking it would be a good practice. Ducks like chickens will put them in for the night. But nothing’s worse then NEEDING to get them in and you can’t or trying to find one in the dark. Just my 2 cents worth.
Best wishes

 

[happy duck]

Well....gotta say the one animal that would be okay with wet it would be a duck!
I don’t have ducks only chickens.
But if I had them and wanted to have them return from the pond. I probably wouldn’t do it differently than chickens who free range.
Ducks/chickens are all food driven. Start with treats. Let them go for a short time then get out the treats and bring them back to the pen.
I’m thinking it would be a good practice. Ducks like chickens will put them in for the night. But nothing’s worse then NEEDING to get them in and you can’t or trying to find one in the dark. Just my 2 cents worth.
Best wishes

Thanks for the advice! I have just been very very worried lately....cuz there where 4 ducks on the pond down the road...not there is 1.

 

[MrsPulcher]

This was our first year with ducks, we got them this spring as ducklings. We have a huge yard, surrounded by brush and woods, and a large pond a little way off our yard. At first I was super nervous about letting them go on the pond. My husband finally convinced me to let them, and few things are more joyful to witness than the ducks on “real” water! One evening they refused to come back to their coop for the night. I was no longer worried about predators, but I wanted them to be in the habit of returning to the coop every evening so we could gather eggs! We watched for them to return to the main yard and when they did we ran out and herded them away from access to the pond and got the fence back up. We got them back into the habit of returning to the coop in the evenings by calling and feeding them peas. It only takes them a couple days to learn a new habit (for better or for worse!) Now we let them have free access to the pond and they return each evening. As long as we get out there in time to shut the coop they stay, but if we don’t sometimes they’ll run back out and sleep on the pond all night.

 

[happy duck]

This was our first year with ducks, we got them this spring as ducklings. We have a huge yard, surrounded by brush and woods, and a large pond a little way off our yard. At first I was super nervous about letting them go on the pond. My husband finally convinced me to let them, and few things are more joyful to witness than the ducks on “real” water! One evening they refused to come back to their coop for the night. I was no longer worried about predators, but I wanted them to be in the habit of returning to the coop every evening so we could gather eggs! We watched for them to return to the main yard and when they did we ran out and herded them away from access to the pond and got the fence back up. We got them back into the habit of returning to the coop in the evenings by calling and feeding them peas. It only takes them a couple days to learn a new habit (for better or for worse!) Now we let them have free access to the pond and they return each evening. As long as we get out there in time to shut the coop they stay, but if we don’t sometimes they’ll run back out and sleep on the pond all night.

Thanks for the advice! I am feeling re leaved. Thanks so much!

 

[drumstick diva]

Plus ducks really love peas.

 

[happy duck]

Plus ducks really love peas.

o yes..I know...mine also love spinach(but I have to limit it cuz it mixes with calcium absorption...and does not end well).

 

[Tonyg503504]

What is better canned peas or frozen corn assuming they already have plenty greens in thier diet i l emojis

 

[MissChick@dee]

Not to stomp on this thread but...I don’t have ducks but I give treats to a friends while she’s at work. How do they do with cracked corn?