Kiddie pool vs pond

[chanceosunshine]

We took my daughter-in-laws two male ducks because we have a pond and thought it would be nice to watch them enjoy it. For the first week I carried them out to the pond and let them swim around in a section of pond that I fenced (including netting on top to keep them safe) and then put them in a dog crate in the secure chicken run at night, while I worked on making them a duck house.
The plan was to let them free range during the day and coop them up at night and on the weekends when we're out of town, which is literally every weekend.
We moved them to the duck house and now they won't go to the pond at all. Twice I've herded them (not an easy task) to the pond and they swim for five minutes and then go back into their house.
It's frustrating that they don't like the pond. They feel light to me like they don't eat enough. I have high protein crumbles in their house. I was hoping they'd fatten up if they ate naturally at the pond.
Is there a way to encourage them to spend time in the pond? It is not in their line of site from their house but it's only about 60 feet away.
Any suggestions?
I'm including a pic of their duck house so you can see how small a space they've decided to appreciate instead of ten acres with a pond.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducks are naturally wary about anything new so for them to take to the duck house so fast is really good . But they are also wary about other things in their life like predators and maybe the pond is just scary for them and it might take time for them to feel comfortable going that far maybe something already scared them like fish nibbling on their toes or snapping turtle may have been lurking around. We’ve seen many a bad wound where snappers have gotten hold of a duck. Hard to know exactly what maybe going on. But just give them time and maybe they’ll venture out more an more. Do you leave the door open during the day when your there? That’s a nice set up you have for them. Why not when your home take the pool out so at least they have to come out to swim. That may get them headed in the right direction as far as moving around exploring an finding the pond on their own.

 

[chanceosunshine]

Thank you!

Removing the pool is a good idea. I'll give that a shot.

I put the fencing and bird netting up at the pond so they can go into it and swim if they like, thinking that maybe they did feel insecure otherwise but that didn't seem to help. They loved the pond before I had the house built.

I do leave the doors open for them and they venture out only a little at a time. They like to pace the chickens' fenced pasture and the rooster paces the other side. I don't think he's thrilled with their attention.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Probably isn't. lol Hopefully the more they brave the out of doors they will get brave enough to venture to the pond again. They are strange little creatures and it takes awhile for them to settle into anything different. But I couldn't imagine life with out them. Hey once they venture to the pond a couple times why not dump the pool that might give the incentive to go there more often. But remember ducks have to not only be wary of what's under the water but what's flying around above them or lurking in the bushes on either side of them. So patience is key.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Ducks are naturally wary about anything new so for them to take to the duck house so fast is really good . But they are also wary about other things in their life like predators and maybe the pond is just scary for them and it might take time for them to feel comfortable going that far maybe something already scared them like fish nibbling on their toes or snapping turtle may have been lurking around. We’ve seen many a bad wound where snappers have gotten hold of a duck. Hard to know exactly what maybe going on. But just give them time and maybe they’ll venture out more an more. Do you leave the door open during the day when your there? That’s a nice set up you have for them. Why not when your home take the pool out so at least they have to come out to swim. That may get them headed in the right direction as far as moving around exploring an finding the pond on their own.

 

[thumper650]

Ducks do what ducks want to do. I gave mine a nice deep pool this summer, they didn’t like it as much as their familiar shallow kiddie pool. My pekins panicked a little when they couldn’t touch the bottom of the pool, then they realized they float! One even swam backwards until he figured out how to go forward.
I find dried mealworms usually encourage them to get in the pool.

 

[chanceosunshine]

I have taken the pool from the ducks. All they care about is getting with the chickens. One can fly over the fence and he's been doing that daily. He's nothing the hens so much that they are being pushed out of their pasture. I'm afraid I'm going to have to re-home them.

 

[Kiwibird]

You could try clipping their wings first if you like.

 

[chanceosunshine]

You could try clipping their wings first if you like.

Thanks! I’ll look into that.

 

[Miss Lydia]