Rounding up ducks at night

[Dallydvm]

I have a beautiful pond in my yard that I'd like the ducks to be able to swim and play in. But I also need to get them back into their pen (giant 12x16 structure) at dusk or they get picked off by local wildlife. It seems like I can't do both. Two nights ago they refused to come in off the pond, and overnight I lost 2 of my 8. I tried for HOURS to lure them (Cheerios, mealworms) herd them, etc in. Nothing doing. Any suggestions?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Before you allowed them to free range did you keep them contained in their coop area for at least a few weeks? I kept my ducks in their coop/run/yard for the first month and now when they're out free ranging at around 7pm they all head towards their coop on their own. I leave their door open and most days when I go out everyone's in. I sometimes use my sheltie to herd on the days there is a stray, but the times where I don't have my dog out with me once they see me my ducks head right to the coop.

 

[Dallydvm]

I did keep them solely in coop from birth to full grown.

 

[DucksOhio]

sometimes the ducks are stubborn and won’t get out. What works for me is to crouch behind a shrub near the pond and gently “ploop” an old boat oar in the water. They think something is entering the pond, so they get right out.

 

[Blkat]

Have wading boots?

They'll stay where they feel safest and for a duck at night, instinctually that's water. Problem is, and I know this first hand, when the water they chose isn't a nice big, deep lake, you need to get them out. Spooking them one way or another from the opposite side, like DucksOhio suggests, is the best bet. Depends on what your pond is like. The oar idea is good. Somehow making a big splash near them with a rock or something can work. (Don't hit them!) What about one of those radio controlled boats? That might unnerve them enough that they can be herded out of the water.

The trick is, to bring them in before sunset. Not that I have any experience trying to bring ducks in off a big, wide flooded field in the dark, flashlight in hand, finding out the mucky water is higher than my waterproof boots...

 

[MartinFamilyHomestead]

I have a beautiful pond in my yard that I'd like the ducks to be able to swim and play in. But I also need to get them back into their pen (giant 12x16 structure) at dusk or they get picked off by local wildlife. It seems like I can't do both. Two nights ago they refused to come in off the pond, and overnight I lost 2 of my 8. I tried for HOURS to lure them (Cheerios, mealworms) herd them, etc in. Nothing doing. Any suggestions?

Do you feed your ducks? We have a stream on our property that our ducks go in but every night they go into the duck house. At first when we first started our we would have to herd them into it and then we would feed them in there. Now they just know. We lock them up before dark but they get noisy and want their food sooner most nights so sometimes I’ll just go down and lock them up early. I never try to leave them out past dark as they would be picked off here as well but if we do get some right after dark they are already in their house waiting for food. As we introduced new ducks into the flock they follow the rest too. I would say lock them up for a few days and only feed them at night then when you let them out and lock them up that night make sure you always give them feed. You might have to herd them for a few weeks but they will catch on. Well mine did anyway. Hope this helps!