Odd Behavior

[pinkj009]

I recently lost my male, I am now down to 2 females (pekins). Starting the night after the male was lost to a predator the females don't come back home like they used to. I resolved the "security issue".
At night I have to bring the ducks in. And they dont always settle in the same place.
I should mention they spend most of their time playing in a near by "creek" that only has a few inches of water after a good rain. But I live in Florida, so thats pretty much all summer. But it did dry up about the same time they stopped coming home. But there is water again, and I still had to get them tonight. And they have a kiddie pool in their run.
Any sggestions?

 

[Going Quackers]

So the drake was killed in the pen/house? if so it would natural for them to avoid the area, whether you have fixed the problem or not they wouldn't realize this and would fear the area.

Given time, they will come round, i personally would continue to fetch them. Is this creek far away? while my Pekin roam my farm.. it's not off my property i'd be concerned if they were far away and not on my land.

Sorry for you loss and welcome to BYC.

 

[TLWR]

lure them with peas. My girls and Dill are standing at the bottom of the stairs at dark waiting for me to walk them to their house and hand over the peas. The few nights I got out after dark, they were in their house already.

 

[pinkj009]

I live on about 2 acres. The creek is only about 50 ft from the pen. It is technicall the property line, but the neighbors are my in-laws. They are not at all concerned with them wondering over.
I like the suggestion of peas TLWR. I should have mentioned i always feed them when i pen them up for the night. They love dog food. (I had ducks growing up that always got into the dog food and always layed double yolked eggs) so I shake the food in the cup. They used to come running when they heard it. Now they just look at me.
It makes sense they would be uneasy or affraid to be in their pen after what happened. It's sad, for them and me. That was my favorite thing about them, that they waddled home every night. Retrieving them is a small inconvience, but i will continue as long as needed. I love my ducks.
Another question, is it neccessary to get another male. I'm not trying to breed them. But want them to be happy.

 

[TLWR]

They don't need a male to be happy. I had 5 happy girls and then caved and picked up 2 ducklings at the feed store this spring. I now have 6 girls and a boy. So far the boy is fine and leaves the girls alone if they resist his advances in the pond.

 

[pinkj009]

I waited a few days to be sure. But my ducks are back to normal. They go into their pen at night. And honestly they seem a little more "clingy" now. If I am outside (daytime) they come up to see what I'm doing. They follow me around. They are awesome. This is why I got them.

Thanks for the help.