Pasturing Ducks

[WhiteOwl]

I use to house my ducks in the barn and herd them to an outside run area. Now that the coop in built and their permanent run is put into place, I would like to herd them to different parts of the property to forage (I'm starting to see a ton of japanese beetles). I've been reading about keeping them in a parture for 7 days and then rotate. Question is (I'm sure I'm overthinking this) now that the run is attached to their coop, when I herd them back to I directly put them in their coop and shut them in for the night? The ducks are 9 weeks old.

 

[jofanx]

Do you mean do you keep the run open to allow them to go in and out as they please even overnight?

That depends on how secure your run is, but most people don't take the chance in case you have fast diggers or a weakness in it you didn't realize. I free range my ducks and have a run attached to the coop as well. I put them in (with the door between the run and the coop open) around dinner time, then I close the door to the run right before I sleep (they go into the coop on their own.)

I use their run more as a place for them to have space and sun when I am not home to supervise their free ranging.

 

[Tlmcq]

I lock mine up every night only took herding them in a couple times and they go on their own now. If your run is secure you don't necessarily need to lock them in but predators aren't as likely to work as hard to get in if they don't see them. I prefer to be safe just in case and lock mine in so there's less worry. Some people have little problems with predators and it isn't as big of an issue

 

[WhiteOwl]

I definitely won't be leaving them in their run overnight. It is not secure.
Mine do not go in their coop on their own yet because of having them in the barn and needing to retrain them.
I'm thinking keeping them in their new location for a week so they could learn that this is their new home. I need to teach them to go into their coop on their own at night. I use to keep the light on in the barn at night, but I'm leaning towards no light in the coop so they know it is bed time?
Then maybe start pasturing them? Do you have fencing around the pasture or since they know where their home is they don't really wander off?
I know I'm overthinking all of this!

 

[Tlmcq]

I do not have fencing, yet so I am out with them when free ranging or taking trip to pond. But, will very soon. I just lure them near their run with peas or corralling them in that direction and once they see the run they know it's home and safety. I find if ya can get one or 2 to go where ya want the rest will follow...lol. I do have a lil mallard that is a bit fiesty and a scaredy girl that sometimes needs a bit more coaxing but normally not a big deal cuz she runs back n forth up the run til she finds her way in once everyone else is in there. My younger ones are easier they were started out earlier tho and picked it up rather quickly.

 

[jofanx]

Put a light in their coop if you want to train them to go in at night. I usually do it for a week with all new ducks because as prey animals, the want to be in well lit areas (which can deter predators.)

It's helpful if you ever have a duck that strays as well. I thought I lost a duck (in reality, it climbed my neighbor's fence and went on an adventure) so I left the light on in the coop and around midnight, it came back and begged to be let in.

 

[WhiteOwl]

Just an update. I ended up putting solar lights on the coop. I also have been letting the ducks out in the afternoon and they seem to enjoy wandering to their favorite spots. I have noticed around 6pm they start heading back to their run and by 8 when I put them in they start lining up at the door. I guess I over thought everything Now I need to put gravel down in the run...