Scared of their new area.

[clbarley]

How long does it take your ducks to not be absolutely terrified of their new area?!?

My husband and I double our duck area. We put it in our field, it's awesome! We put up aviary netting, hanging feeders and a nice hoop house! We put them in yesterday afternoon and they have confined themselves to one corner, they won't go near the hoop house, and they haven't even came close to their food and water area!

I'm scared for them!

Thoughts?!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How long does it take your ducks to not be absolutely terrified of their new area?!?

My husband and I double our duck area. We put it in our field, it's awesome! We put up aviary netting, hanging feeders and a nice hoop house! We put them in yesterday afternoon and they have confined themselves to one corner, they won't go near the hoop house, and they haven't even came close to their food and water area!

I'm scared for them!

Thoughts?!

Can you go in and sit with them for a while or is it too cold? Ducks don't take to change very well as you have seen first hand so it's going to take them a while to get use to it, but if you can take something they really like as a treat and go out and sit with them in there new place and they feel comfortable around you they should come to see what you have brought to nom on. Eventually one will take the lead and the rest will follow. can you post a pic of their new place?

 

[Going Quackers]

Ducks are routine animals changes to that effect everything, their eating, laying and general behaviour. How long? truly depends, on the ducks some are bold, others not so much.

I'd say at least a couple days to a week, some longer. Since it;s only an extension of what they had it shouldn't be as long as an entire changeover would be.

I recall when i hung a new feeder in the barn took me a few days to get the buggers in they were totally and completely terrified of the feeder lol

You should have seen the eyeballs when some apples fell in their pool this summer...

 

[clbarley]

I will load the pictures at the end of this post! They seemed a little better today. They still have not touched their water, food or house. So we will see! The geese have taken to the new area nicely they love it!

 

[clbarley]

Can you go in and sit with them for a while or is it too cold? Ducks don't take to change very well as you have seen first hand so it's going to take them a while to get use to it, but if you can take something they really like as a treat and go out and sit with them in there new place and they feel comfortable around you they should come to see what you have brought to nom on. Eventually one will take the lead and the rest will follow. can you post a pic of their new place?

I did try the treats today! I got one girl to come over, peas and romaine! I'm going to give it a few more days before info anything.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I did try the treats today! I got one girl to come over, peas and romaine! I'm going to give it a few more days before info anything.

Looks like the geese are on the outside looking in. LOL and progress even small is still progress. very nice setup too.

 

[clbarley]

Looks like the geese are on the outside looking in. LOL and progress even small is still progress. very nice setup too.

Yes the geese are in a pen next to them. We keep out geese, ducks and chickens all separate. We used to keep them together but last year I had a goose kill one of my girl ducks and decided that was never going to happen again. So everyone live on their own.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes the geese are in a pen next to them. We keep out geese, ducks and chickens all separate. We used to keep them together but last year I had a goose kill one of my girl ducks and decided that was never going to happen again. So everyone live on their own.

I don't blame you at all. I just thought it was cute how the geese were looking in.

 

[clbarley]

Thank you! They are pretty cute! I just feel bad that they are separate because both the ducks and the geese pace the fence line talking to each other!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you! They are pretty cute! I just feel bad that they are separate because both the ducks and the geese pace the fence line talking to each other!!

At least they can still see each other and be close and safe too. How are the ducks doing? moving around more exploring?