no longer putting self up

[farmincity]

My ducks are 7 months old. They have put themselves into there house at night since they were 3 weeks old. Last week it got cold out so with the weather shift they are no longer putting themselves up at night I was getting ready to order one of those automatic doors. So glad I didnt since i have to herd them in at night. Why did it change in 1 day anyone got any ideas?

 

[Amiga]

Look around - there may be something in there that's bothering them.

 

[TLWR]

Because they are ducks.

Mine go back and forth between going to bed on their own for a while and then thinking waiting around for me to herd them to bed is the best idea.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

X2 My ducks have been going in on their own since they lost their big pool a little more than 2 months ago (when they had that, there was no way they were going in until I told them to.

) Except this week. Not a duck, not once.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

X2 My ducks have been going in on their own since they lost their big pool a little more than 2 months ago (when they had that, there was no way they were going in until I told them to.

) Except this week. Not a duck, not once.

For the last 3 weeks since I posted this, they have all gone in every night... Except the night before last, Pocahontas stayed outside and I had to put her in... But not before parading her in our house to show the wife who the bad duck was (I figure this acts as a small stress to show Pocahontas if she would have gone in her house on her own, these scary things wouldn't happen to her.)

 

[AtropineCaffein]

My ducks would go in the run we kept them in at night like clockwork, then in the morning i could herd them out to the big pond. Suddenly they decided that they were big boys and girls and would stay in the pond all night. It is impossible to herd 25 ducks out of a 1+ acre pond. So they now just stay out all night. :/

 

[pattyhen]

For the last 3 weeks since I posted this, they have all gone in every night... Except the night before last, Pocahontas stayed outside and I had to put her in... But not before parading her in our house to show the wife who the bad duck was (I figure this acts as a small stress to show Pocahontas if she would have gone in her house on her own, these scary things wouldn't happen to her.)

That is so funny. I hope that Pocahontas has now learned her lesson about going in the coop by herself. To make her go into the house and shame her in front of everyone that is halarious.

Patty
p.s. It took us 5 years to get our ducks into their coop. They now go in on their own most nights. If I go outside and they are still out they run in the coop like their really being guilty. We blocked all exits from the coop except for the coop door and paraded them inside. There was mass confusion the first night and it took two of us to herd them inside. For about a week we had to parade them in and each night got a little easier. I always thought it was going to be impossible to do but they proved me wrong.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My ducks would go in the run we kept them in at night like clockwork, then in the morning i could herd them out to the big pond. Suddenly they decided that they were big boys and girls and would stay in the pond all night. It is impossible to herd 25 ducks out of a 1+ acre pond. So they now just stay out all night. :/

That is kind of sad because ducks out on the pond are sitting ducks there too. Got a kayak? lol

 

[AtropineCaffein]

That is kind of sad because ducks out on the pond are sitting ducks there too. Got a kayak? lol

I would need a huge net. Like one of those shrimp trawler bat wing nets lolol.

Truly there is no way for me to get them into the run any more. I purposefully chose large breeds so i dont have to worry about hawks. We go scouting for coyotes every so often, and we have had some run through the yard but not go for the ducks. At this point I just pray and hope for the best. Thankfully it has been about 4 months now and no problems.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would need a huge net. Like one of those shrimp trawler bat wing nets lolol.

Truly there is no way for me to get them into the run any more. I purposefully chose large breeds so i dont have to worry about hawks. We go scouting for coyotes every so often, and we have had some run through the yard but not go for the ducks. At this point I just pray and hope for the best. Thankfully it has been about 4 months now and no problems.

I have red tails here who take a Muscovy. What about food do you feed them and where do you feed them? you might try putting food out only in late afternoon say an hr before dark that may coax them up to your fenced area and once they go in to eat just close the door. I use whole corn to get my flock to do things they don't like to do like coming inside the fence I toss out just enough to get their attention then start shaking the coffee can the corn is in and whistle they all start heading in side the fence once I get them all in I toss the corn on the ground far enough away from the gate I can walk behind them and close it.