Return ducks to coop after free ranging

[duckdog]

Hello, today was the first time I could free range my Khakis (4). They are pretty much full grown. I was under the understanding that returning them to the coop would be "easy," because they are pretty herdable...That is not the case. I just spent an hour trying to get them back into their coop/pen. I think I figured out how to do so, hopefully in a quicker manner next time. Still, does anyone have any tricks/ways to do so, just in case it completely backfires on me the next time? Thanks

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello, today was the first time I could free range my Khakis (4). They are pretty much full grown. I was under the understanding that returning them to the coop would be "easy," because they are pretty herdable...That is not the case. I just spent an hour trying to get them back into their coop/pen. I think I figured out how to do so, hopefully in a quicker manner next time. Still, does anyone have any tricks/ways to do so, just in case it completely backfires on me the next time? Thanks

For starters.. are they "homed" to the coop?

Next.. do they have a favorite treat.. putting a high value treat in something you can shake and call them to get their attention before spreading on the ground where you want them to go.. use it as a training aid.. get them familiar first so they KNOW to respond. Some ideas might be frozen peas, meal worms, cracked corn, BOSS, etc.

When herding any animal.. I very much like having pvc pipes to extend the reach or look/feel of my reach. It's light weight, and highly visible.

It's been a while since I raised ducks.. but boy did they come running when I turned the hose on! Of course that may not be conducive to your set up and with each thing.. your mileage may vary.

Also with anything.. practice is key to becoming routine.. the next times *should* get easier as the birds begin to understand what you expect.

 

[Jenbirdee]

1)10 minutes ahead of time, I dump all waters except one bucket and set it by their coop. most of them make their way over to it.
2) I close the gate of the fencing that I have set up that goes from one side of their coop door , out to their pen boundary fencing
3) I wave a pool noodle in the air while quacking loudly and walk the pen perimeter in a circle to get all scragglers to walk around their coop up to where they are trapped by the fence and only choice is to go in the coop
Edit to add
It’s a 3000 square-foot fenced in yard/pen so sometimes I have to use two or three pool noodles and toss one ahead if they start going to the wrong way I’ve become an expert at noodle tossing lol

 

[JNC]

I believe you can teach them. As your herding them into your coop you can try yelling repeatedly “all ducks to bed” or whatever you want the phrase to be while throwing treats in front of them to guide them. I’ve heard of people teaching their ducks this way. Although it may take some time I think they’ll get into the routine and learn it. Although I have never tried teaching mine since they don’t free range, I have taught them their name. I have also taught them the phrase “soup for ducks” (green beans + water) and they would come RUNNING, it made it easy because then I would jsut place the bowl with their “soup” by their coop door and once they were done it would be really easy to get them inside their coop. I would try associating it with a treat like they stated above, as it is a great training aid.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

All great ideas! I would only add, funnel them into the coop. I used to have to use buckets, wood, hay bales, etc. to keep them from just running around my old coop. I built my new coop so when the door is open it hits the fence. So, if I can herd them toward the door there is no place to go except in. I rarely have to herd them though because they get lettuce soup in the coop at bedtime.

 

[HeritageFan]

My KC were great layers, and caused great headaches lol
We’ve switched to only Welsh Harlequins now.
Ask if you’d like to know why.
Anyway, to answer your question- I’d like a bit more info.
Can you possibly post pics of your coop and run?
I had good luck keeping my KC ducks in as long as I had a fresh pool in their run and kept the coop clean.
They would go to bed well as long as I offered fresh water and food inside the coop at night (I also offered feed and water in the coop in the morning, just not quite as much)
They would often be out to free range, outside the run. I close the coop door as I’m cleaning and refreshing food and coop water and bedding in the evenings, and they generally came back into the run and put themselves to bed. I have found that having a drake is very helpful.
He tends to chase his ladies in at the end of the day.
He doesn’t have to be a KC drake.... I had a Welsh Harlequin drake w 4 KC hens and 4 WH hens. He was fantastic.
My new Welsh Harlequin drake is also very good at taking care of his ladies. He makes sure they are in bed and I’m more likely to have to “chase” him into the coop than the girls.....

 

[ruthhope]

My experience as others above, is that ducks learn to go to the coop and certain duck keeper behaviors encourage it!

When I go out and start moving food and water towards the coop, my ducks follow me down. When there is a change in circumstances -- for example if I need to get them in early as I am going out, I still go through the regular routine of taking food and water down to the coop, but I sometimes have to herd them. Pool noodles rather than PVC pipes are effective, but I often just pick up the latest downed stick from a tree and use that. I have recently brought one duck on a road trip [as he is best buddy to another duck that is sick and needs special care during the day, so he has to come on trips with me]. The first two evenings I picked buddy up and put him in the duck house -- he didn't want to be there as he wanted to be in the house with the sick duck. The third evening he took himself to the coop when I went outside. My boys are water averse, and they all take themselves to bed if there is heavy rain, or in cold months if there is any rain.

I have found that once ducks know about going to the coop, it's smooth sailing. I have had to use a dog pen to funnel recalcitrant ducks in the past, to stop them escaping into the shrubbery behind the coop where I cannot get to them. But even the recalcitrant ones get into the habit. Now, if a duck is reluctant to go to the coop, I immediately think he is being bullied in there. I provide separate cubicles or dog crates for reluctant ducks and that has always resolved the reluctance. I have one muscovy drake that gets into scuffles with another drake. He has to go in first and takes himself to his compartment at the back. Then the other boys go in. If the other boys go first, they realise their mistake and come out again.

Of course, ducks are like children There are always the naughty ones. My son has a bunch of naught pekins. Two will go into the coop but the third diverts from the procession to the coop and scoots into the bushes. Then the firt two come out looking for her, and three are then running round the bushes. When I care for them, I have to sit back for 5 or 10 minutes, then start the evening ritual again: pretend taking food to the coop. That generally gets them all into the coop! And, of course, they know when I am in a hurry and have no time for nonsense. That is when they are at their naughtiest about going to bed!! My own drakes are far better behave than they are