Putting ducks away at night

[yickenscarf23]

All my chickens (even the babies) put themselves away in the coop nicely before dark and all I have to do is shut the door and latch it. However, the ducks don't get it. Like at all. We remade the ramp to be less steep and have little ridges for grip because I figured their feet maybe didn't grip well. I've tried to teach them with treats, physically helping them walk up it... Nothing works. They will just stand outside the coop and quack panicked because they got left behind.

What am I missing? Do they need their own coop? Are ducks a bit...dense? I'd like more ducks the future but it seems like everything is a fight with them.

Thanks in advance

 

[Duckworth]

Is your coop elevated off the ground? Ducks usually prefer to house at or close to ground level. Can you build them a duck house on the ground, secure against whatever predators are present in your locale?

 

[yickenscarf23]

Is your coop elevated off the ground? Ducks usually prefer to house at or close to ground level. Can you build them a duck house on the ground, secure against whatever predators are present in your locale?

Ahhh. Yes it's elevated. They have a little ramp to get up there. They SCREAM when separated from the chickens though. Might have to do some more modifications to the coop. Building a separate duck house is a last resort but I'm willing to if we can't make the coop work.

 

[Jbently28]

My ducks and chickens free range and are housed together at night as well. I had to place a large dog house in the enclosure full of hay for my ducks to go into at night. In my experience, they will not climb anything more than a foot off the ground.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Ahhh. Yes it's elevated. They have a little ramp to get up there. They SCREAM when separated from the chickens though. Might have to do some more modifications to the coop. Building a separate duck house is a last resort but I'm willing to if we can't make the coop work.

both of my duck pens are elevated and they have ramps going up. They've never had any issues but mine are not steep ramps and they march right up them every night.

 

[yickenscarf23]

Our little ramp is like that one. I'll have to make some changes and see what works.

 

[MagpieDucks]

After about a month of putting them in their coop at night, mine finally got the memo.

 

[Jbently28]

both of my duck pens are elevated and they have ramps going up. They've never had any issues but mine are not steep ramps and they march right up them every night.View attachment 1735803
View attachment 1735801

I love all the random duck eggs laying around. My kids say it's like an Easter egg hunt every day looking for all the duck eggs

 

[thumper650]

Another user have me this tip.i chant "night night ducks" while clapping in time. Took about a month but they finally figured it out. Also treats once inside the house.

 

[yickenscarf23]

I'll try to stay on it for another few weeks and maybe they will get it.