Rounding up the waddles

[Mamasaurusrex2]

How do y'all get your ducks into their house for the night? I got my first duck a week ago (have 2 now) and every evening I have to chase them and grab them and put them in their house. Will they eventually do it on their own?

 

[WallyBirdie]

If it's anything like rounding up chickens, I herd them and they don't give too much trouble once they learn a routine. I use a 'herding stick' or just my arm Whatever direction my arm (or the stick) is, they go the other direction. It makes quick work of gathering the flock together.

About ducks specifically, I'm not sure. Maybe the same principle applies?

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

If it's anything like rounding up chickens, I herd them and they don't give too much trouble once they learn a routine. I use a 'herding stick' or just my arm Whatever direction my arm (or the stick) is, they go the other direction. It makes quick work of gathering the flock together.

About ducks specifically, I'm not sure. Maybe the same principle applies?

They definitely go the opposite of my arm, I will give that a shot!

 

[WallyBirdie]

They definitely go the opposite of my arm, I will give that a shot!

Best of luck to you! Keep them grouped together for roundup. Otherwise, one might end up put away while the other gives you the slip! I have one naughty bird that likes to try and outwit me.

 

[CindyinSD]

Mine all four (boys) waddle happily into a tractor with the chickens and the turkeys when it gets quite dark. They insist on being in the *same* tractor with one another. There’s no separating Paul, John, George & Ringo. They follow one another around in single file everywhere they go. (Which is how they got their names, though I can’t tell them apart. I cannot watch them without thinking of the White Album.) So funny, those boys.

From what I’ve read in Holderread, this nightly drama is par with ducks. They will eventually get used to a routine and will stick to it. Inconveniently, this routine may consist in you chasing them around the place for a half an hour in an intricate, circuitous route which is not allowed to vary at all from night to night. You just have to enjoy the journey.

 

[Isaac 0]

My ducks usually go inside the coop by themselves at night.But on occasions they get to occupied digging mud holes i have to herd them in, which basically consist of me waving my arms around like a lunatic to get them in there coop.

Everyone has there own technique on doing it.If you don't feel like herding them in every night im sure they wouldn't resist some meal worms inside the coop.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Best of luck to you! Keep them grouped together for roundup. Otherwise, one might end up put away while the other gives you the slip! I have one naughty bird that likes to try and outwit me.

Haha good to know! They sure do have personality!

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Mine all four (boys) waddle happily into a tractor with the chickens and the turkeys when it gets quite dark. They insist on being in the *same* tractor with one another. There’s no separating Paul, John, George & Ringo. They follow one another around in single file everywhere they go. (Which is how they got their names, though I can’t tell them apart. I cannot watch them without thinking of the White Album.) So funny, those boys.

From what I’ve read in Holderread, this nightly drama is par with ducks. They will eventually get used to a routine and will stick to it. Inconveniently, this routine may consist in you chasing them around the place for a half an hour in an intricate, circuitous route which is not allowed to vary at all from night to night. You just have to enjoy the journey.

I love the names of yours boys, that's adorable! Lol I feel like this will be quite interesting once they are free ranging. We need to put up one side of the fence before they can free range so they don't get into the neighbor's yard (and the other yards beyond that for that matter. No one has finished their fences yet lol) it's been hard enough to round them up in their pen lol. Somehow a ridiculous nightly routine would not surprise me. Lol

 

[Popcorntheduck]

My last ducks were so bad, I’d chase them around forever. One night I got home later than usual and it was already dark and at first I panicked cause I didn’t see them, and then sure enough they were all snuggled in their house! I think eventually they just figure it out, maybe they realize it’s not fun getting chased around either!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmm. Could you be trying to put them to bed before they're ready? What would happen if you just waited them out, would they stay out all night, do you think? I really don't have a clue, I don't have ducks (yet ... maybe never, lol!), but the chickens put themselves to bed when they're ready. And the younger the chickens, the later they want to stay up ... just like kids, lol!