New to raising for Blue Swedish ducks.

[Mp nh]

Good evening everyone, and Merry Christmas Eve. My name is Mike I live in New Hampshire and I have four blue Swedish ducks that live in my yard. They have about an acre of land to roam on unfenced and also about a quarter acre pond that I have aerators for the fish and that also prevents the pond from freezing. My ducks will not go in their house that I raised them in for the first six weeks. They choose to sleep in the water and then come on the banks of the pond during the day to sleep. They have a nice house with a heat lamp inside of it. I put food in and a trail of mealworms from outside up the ramp inside to where the food is but they will not enter the house. I've given up trying so I just been feeding them outside near the door of the house in the hopes that they will go in at night as the heat lamp is on a timer but no success yet. I know they are a hearty breed I'm just afraid of them freezing to death in the water. Although it was five degrees the night before last and they were fine I still worry. I would encourage any feedback possible. Thanks for allowing me for this long message as I am a new member. Once again Merry Christmas

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

Welcome to BYC!
Happy christmas!

 

[Tookie]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! We’re so glad to have you here.
Ducks can be difficult with getting them into their coop at night. I yet have not been able to train mine to get in the coop at night. I’m not sure what you should do. Maybe try catching them and shut them in their coop for awhile, to make them understand it’s their safe place where they should sleep and lay eggs?

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you here with us in this fun and poultry loving community.

 

[Jenbirdee]

usually feeding them in the evening encourages them to return to the coop. i’d put up a fenced area around the coop and keep them in there a few weeks to get used to going in for dinner.

 

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

Hi @Mp nh

I just started raising ducks. I built a duck house for them and moved them to it about 10 days ago. We have to put them in the coop at night. I am hoping they will start going in on their own.

We have fencing around their coop due to the many predators in our area.

Welcome!

 

[Jener8or]

I hope your ducks get trained to go into their duck house!

There is a Duck Forum if you need any more ideas or other help with your ducks!

Thanks for joining, Mike! Welcome to BackYard Chickens and merry Christmas!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello Mike, and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

 

[sourland]

Merry Christmas, Mike, and welcome to BYC. Ducks are tough and generally like to sleep outside. The problem with that is that they are vulnerable to night predators. Perhaps a covered predator proof pen in conjunction with the coop that they could be locked in at night would serve to protect them. Feed could be used to lure them into the pen.

 

[N F C]

Hi Mike, hope the ideas given will help you out. Best wishes and Merry Christmas!