Putting your ducks up for the night

Missy60

Chirping
7 Years
Apr 20, 2012
299
3
99
Southwest Virginia
Hi! I'm new to the forum, and I'm so glad I found you. We have a one year old Peking duck he is such a joy to have. He free ranges during the day, and had been using a kiddie pool to swim in. He was always so easy to put up at night. She has found the creek now though and wants to stay in or around it all the time. The last few days it has been really hard to get her put up at night. We usually shake a bag that she knows has treats in it and she just waddles right to us. Last night we had to carry her home.

Forgive me if I sometimes call her a he, her name is George...lol. It's my grand daughters duck and she named her. Well George started laying eggs, but it was to late she already respond to George.

We also have two three week old ducks. Omg I really wasn't prepared for them, her mom raised George until he was fully feather. They are so messy with their water, we got a starter kit for them and the waterer that came with it was a real problem. Thanks for who ever posted about the cool whip bowl with a portion of the lid cut out. That has helped a lot to keep the bedding dry. I have one more question what do they eat next and when?
 
Hi! I'm new to the forum, and I'm so glad I found you. We have a one year old Peking duck he is such a joy to have. He free ranges during the day, and had been using a kiddie pool to swim in. He was always so easy to put up at night. She has found the creek now though and wants to stay in or around it all the time. The last few days it has been really hard to get her put up at night. We usually shake a bag that she knows has treats in it and she just waddles right to us. Last night we had to carry her home.
Forgive me if I sometimes call her a he, her name is George...lol. It's my grand daughters duck and she named her. Well George started laying eggs, but it was to late she already respond to George.
We also have two three week old ducks. Omg I really wasn't prepared for them, her mom raised George until he was fully feather. They are so messy with their water, we got a starter kit for them and the waterer that came with it was a real problem. Thanks for who ever posted about the cool whip bowl with a portion of the lid cut out. That has helped a lot to keep the bedding dry. I have one more question what do they eat next and when?
Does George like peas? I can get my runners to drop whatever they are doing and follow the bowl of peas.

You may need to keep George busy in another part of the yard for a few days, to try to reduce the siren call of the creek.

Check out the water station tweetysvoice developed. Once you get water management handled, things get easier.

At about three weeks I began adding grower ration to the starter crumbles and every day put in more of the former and less of the latter, till the crumbles were used up and they were on full grower rations. What are they eating now? If it is chick starter, I strongly suggest adding a sprinkle of brewer's yeast to their food every day, or some niacin (100 to 150 mg per gallon) to their water.

They need much more niacin than chicks do, and a lack of it seems to cause serious health problems in some ducklings.
 
Oh, and

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Thanks for the info! I really appreciate the information about feeding them. I thought they would get choked on anything other then the crumbles. That's all we have been feeding them until yesterday. I used the blender with some veggies, but I grinned it up as fine as the starter food. They go out in the grass every day but it just seems like they are playing with the leaves and not eating anything. I will get some brewer yeast today for sure and start giving it to them.

The bag had minnows in it and he really loved them. He looks up at us when we call his name but just goes back to what he was doing. This is a creek that runs in front of our property he could float on down it and leave, so far he stays right in the area of our house. I hate to have to keep him up. He has a house and a small run that was suppose to be for night time only so it's not huge. Do you all think he will leave?
 
It is hard to say. Some ducks do, some don't.

Also, for the babies, do you have chick grit? Just a tiny sprinkling on their crumbles or pellets for at least a few weeks will help them digest regular food (peas, veggies, etc.) and keeping water available 24/7 is recommended for their first couple of months.

Perhaps you could set up a temporary fenced area, just for a few days, with some extra attention, just making him feel that closer to you is more fun.
 
They should have instructions in the starter kit...lol. I didn't know about the grit either would George need grit if she can't free range? I do keep water and food for the babies and George at all times. I can hear her quaking I know she telling me to come and let her out. I never thought I could get so attached to a duck, but she is quit the character keeps me laughing all the time. She had been going down to the creek bank to a little split off section that had very shallow water in it for a while now. It is right in front of our house and we could walk down there and shake the bag and she would follow us any where. Yesterday was the first day she actually got in the creek and swam around. I sort of felt like a proud parent that she got over her fear, but that lasted only until she didn't want to come home.
 
The call of water runs really deep within the heart of a duck.

Once, my entire flock of runners began moving purposefully downhill toward the brook, which is, oh, a quarter mile (and a few big dogs) away. I was able to dissuade them, and they have been good about it ever since.

If George is outdoors on the ground every day, she is probably okay, but tossing a light sprinkling into her feed bowl once a week or so won't hurt. Oh, by the way, do you give her free choice oyster shell? If she is laying, that might be a good idea, and it acts as kind of a short term grit (until it is dissolved).
 
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I have a creek that runs in front of the house on our property too , my ducks free range and have a pond on the back of the property. They go between the two. I have seen them up about a 1/4 mile in the creek but they always come home. They will stay where they are fed, however if George is staying on the creek at night predators may get her. Peas are a good suggestion, only feed her in the pen you want her to spend the night in. I am just now trying to get my ducks to stay in the pen at night due to egg laying issues in water. That is the advice I was given and so far my ducks are going to that spot for the feed. Now I just need to get the gate fixed so I can shut them up and gather my eggs without going 'ahuntin.
Thanks for the info! I really appreciate the information about feeding them. I thought they would get choked on anything other then the crumbles. That's all we have been feeding them until yesterday. I used the blender with some veggies, but I grinned it up as fine as the starter food. They go out in the grass every day but it just seems like they are playing with the leaves and not eating anything. I will get some brewer yeast today for sure and start giving it to them.
The bag had minnows in it and he really loved them. He looks up at us when we call his name but just goes back to what he was doing. This is a creek that runs in front of our property he could float on down it and leave, so far he stays right in the area of our house. I hate to have to keep him up. He has a house and a small run that was suppose to be for night time only so it's not huge. Do you all think he will leave?
 
Well I couldn't take it any more I let her out, and she pretty much went straight to the creek after a little petting. Does anyone's ducks lay flat down when they want petted or picked up? I guess the new is wearing off because she only stayed down there for about 30 mins and came back up to hang out with the family.

I got the grit, but not the brewers yeast. I guess it back to the store today, because I thought the brewers yeast would be over by the cooking yeast.
 

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