pekin ducks will they come back

[dancoyben]

Thinking of getting some pekin ducks wondering if I let them free range with my chickens will they come back home at night, I do live next to a lake for them to enjoy. If there are any tips on how to get them trained to come home that be great thanks in advance

 

[Mrs.H]

I would start by fencing them in around their duck house for awhile so they know what home is. They might not go into their house each night on their own like chickens do. Mine stay outside till I go out there to lock them up. When they see me coming they go inside. If I didn't they would sleep all night in their pools lol

 

[dancoyben]

So it would be a bad idea to let them go into the lake right away... Do you think after a couple weeks once I let them free range and they discover the lake they'll come home

 

[TLWR]

If you have a lake that they will want to hang out on, I'd take a while to get them used to you and where home is. I'd probably feed them only in/near their night time house and then I'd entice them with super special treats they only get when it is time to go to bed.
My ducks are happy to hang in their small pond, but they know I have peas, and they come running!

If you get them as day olds, I'd not let them free range until they were about 2 months and get them used to their routine (go to bed in house) during that time.

 

[dancoyben]

So besides peas what else would be super special treats for ducks

 

[bradleyscott]

Mine freak out over whole corn.

 

[Richb353]

I feed my ducks twice a day in the same spot not too far from their duck house. Now that I've done this for about a year, the flock comes running to me at breakfast and dinner time (which happens to be when I get home from work). After dinner (around dusk), they know to meander to their house for the night. After a year or so, they know the routine and they nearly do this on their own with minimal encouragement. They also know the sound of the lid coming off the top of their food container and come running.

I don't know how this happened, but when I yell "Where's them ducks?", they make a quack racket!

Enjoy,
Rich

 

[donkeydew2farms]

I feed my ducks peas in there night pen all they have to see me with the bowl and the come running and go in there pen quacking up a storm. my pair of geese now look forward to the peas. one day I am going to video them they remind me of piranhas.

 

[dancoyben]

I just picked up my ducklings, when should I start letting them play in the tub, any other advice would be appreciated.