Overwintering domestic duck

[Huey2024]

Hi everyone! I need help.. we he have a large one acre pond and a large flightless domestic duck that has showed up. He is beautiful but seems lonely. He tries so hard to fly!
My husband and I know nothing about ducks and am concerned about how he will fair overwinter. We are looking info here! We live on 5 acres… plenty of predators here…

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hi everyone! I need help.. we he have a large one acre pond and a large flightless domestic duck that has showed up. He is beautiful but seems lonely. He tries so hard to fly!
My husband and I know nothing about ducks and am concerned about how he will fair overwinter. We are looking info here! We live on 5 acres… plenty of predators here…

where are you - how cold does it get & how much snow?
does he ever come off the pond to you for food?
@ruthhope

 

[Huey2024]

where are you - how cold does it get & how much snow?
does he ever come off the pond to you for food?
@ruthhope

Hi! We are in Oregon, and it can get down to the 20s on occasion… Sometimes and I storm and definitely a few inches of snow every year. He recognizes us and follows us on the water as we walk around the pond. We do feed him near the coop that we have for him. He comes out of the water to eat the duck food that we have bought for him, and we move the glass bowl a little closer to the coop every day. We are hoping that he will be willing to go inside, the coop to eat before winter sets in. Any advice? Are we approaching this right? we are planning to put shavings and straw inside the enclosure so he can stay warm and off the ground. Thank you in advance!

 

[Huey2024]

Hi! We are in Oregon, and it can get down to the 20s on occasion… Sometimes and I storm and definitely a few inches of snow every year. He recognizes us and follows us on the water as we walk around the pond. We do feed him near the coop that we have for him. He comes out of the water to eat the duck food that we have bought for him, and we move the glass bowl a little closer to the coop every day. We are hoping that he will be willing to go inside, the coop to eat before winter sets in. Any advice? Are we approaching this right? we are planning to put shavings and straw inside the enclosure so he can stay warm and off the ground. Thank you in advance!

 

[Huey2024]

Above is Huey and the home we have brought for him. It is On Wheels and movable, but right now we are trying to train him to eat inside and eventually put bedding in for him to get off the cold ground in the winter. Any thoughts?

 

[Evadig]

Above is Huey and the home we have brought for him. It is On Wheels and movable, but right now we are trying to train him to eat inside and eventually put bedding in for him to get off the cold ground in the winter. Any thoughts?

How far does he go away from the water when you put the food out?

I was thinking maybe you could put a fence on both sides, wide enough that he doesn’t notice, and narrowing at the the coop, and then get behind him so he can’t get back into the pond. Slowly corral him into the coop. I did this with my ducks when they escaped into the pond. Even though they knew me, they did not want to come in. If you do manage to catch him, you'll need to keep him penned up at least for awhile or he'll just go back out onto the pond.

@Miss Lydia and @SilverBirds can probably provide better advice .

 

[ruthhope]

Hi everyone! I need help.. we he have a large one acre pond and a large flightless domestic duck that has showed up. He is beautiful but seems lonely. He tries so hard to fly!
My husband and I know nothing about ducks and am concerned about how he will fair overwinter. We are looking info here! We live on 5 acres… plenty of predators here…

He needs enticing off the pond with food and capturing. I do
that by putting out poised regularly in a dis. Once he realises he will regularly come for the food. Then erect a temporary pen (i use dog pens) in a U shape with the food well inside. Let him come and eat like that for a couple of days, and then catch him by closing the U while he is inside.

The poor boy needs to live in a safe dry coop--an outdoor dog kennel might work depending on where you are. He needs to be able to run around foraging during the day-- best in a protected run. And the poor boy needs a ducky friend. He could be happy with another domestic drake or 3 or more domestic female ducks.

Which state and city do you live in/near?