Just spent the last 2 HOURS trying to get the ducks in their house!!

[redhen]

We finally had to give up... We cant even get close enough to catch them tonight either.
Something must have scared them tonight out there... they will NOT go inside their house. We looked in the house good.. theres nothing in there. Finally we just had to at least put the 2 geese in there (the geese sleep with the ducks at night..), so they'll be protected during the night.
I hope nothing gets my duckies tonight...

We tried everything.... usually we just get their food and they follow us inside there every night..
I dont know what else we can do??
I just know they'll be dead in the morning...

 

[NancyP]

Hi, the trick that works for us is to take away their food in the morning. When evening comes around they are hungry and will come in to eat. Good luck, I know how frustrating they can be.

 

[cracking up]

Gee I'd love to tell you something to make you sleep easier but when my duck refused to go in and I finally let her sleep with the chickens a weasel got into the ducks and killed two ducks and a goose. She was ok because she wouldn't go into the cage. Something must have come snooping and left it's scent. Hope they do ok.

 

[redhen]

Thanks guys...
Hubby just checked on them.(and tried again...). they're all huddled together laying in the center of our yard...

It was very strange tonight.. when we tried to get them in the house..they would get up to the house entrance and then all scatter.... nothing would get them in that house..nothing. Very weird...
We looked for any predators around..but couldnt see anything.... (their house is at the edge of our woods though.. .) So something could have been hiding...
Yeah... doubt i'll sleep much tonight...

 

[Wolfwoman]

I will be interested to see what morning brings!

Good luck!

 

[ChooksChick]

Have you put a lantern or large flashlight in there so they can see nothing's in there? They may have gotten spooked and then when it was good and dark it was too late for them to go in without fearing the dark.

How to get them to go in at night

 

[katharinad]

You know ducks can get really freaky when you push them to hard. Sometimes it is better to back off and give them a few minutes to get their brains turned back on.

Try the pea trick, by throwing them into their house. This reminds me to go outside can close up my duck house.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Thanks.. We turned on all the backyard lights.. hopefully that will scare anything away...

I just wish we could catch them...

 

[AngieChick]

This might be silly, but if it's warm enough have you considered putting an air mattress and some blankets out and just sleeping outside? It sounds as if you might get more sleep pulling guard duty than fretting all night inside.

Alternately, a light in the hut is usually the key with us.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Yeah.. hubby stood up a flashlight in there and set the food in there for them to see...
Nope.... they would go up to the entrance and scatter...
So then we tried to grab them, because they were so close to the door... yeah.... that didnt help any...

Then we managed to grab one of them..and set him in there... thinking he'd call the others in with him.... nope... they didnt fall for it.

I'm betting that something spooked them good tonight out there... something by their house...
This the first time we've had a problem with them at all at night.