Stupid yucks...

[pookiethebear]

ok we finally got the outside area done for the 3 stinky yucks. We put them out Friday afternoon. They now have about' x 50' square fenced in area with a kiddy pool and a nice box/home. I put them in the new area and hearded them to the kiddy pool so they would figure out how to get in and out of the pool. Later I hearded them into their new house. They have not gone in the house since. I have put their food in there and put them in there several more times but they will not go into their house. Even in the pouring rain they will not go in the box. Any suggestions???

We left teh first night and came back to have them outside their fence. They did not go anywhere, and I hearded them back in and walked the fence line to see what happened. I can not figure out how they go out! Best we can figure is they squirmed under the fence. I don't know how the pekins did it as they are HUGE! But all 3 were outside the fence and saying hey put up back in!! Goofy yucks.

 

[conny63malies]

My ducks ot out the first night too and ran around the neighborhood. I got them back within minutes though. Mine prob squeezed through where the fence meets the house or where the walk through gate is. I put some 2x4's and a piece of wood there and they stayed in since then. We had a thunderstorm last night and i thought about taking them into the house since they only havea covered shelter by the AC unit. I looked outside and what do i see? All my three scovies running through the yard chasing bugs.They only go for shelter when it is too hot and not too wet. Its the best bug chasing weather for them.

 

[pookiethebear]

My three seem to be loving it outside as opposed to the basement. I try to corrall them into their box once a day and I put their food near their box so they know it is there....guess I am just being overly worried.

We are enjoying them much more that they are outside!!

 

[Henrietta23]

I put bird netting over my pen which means I have to stoop when I'm in there.
Mine didn't go in the house the first night so I herded them in. After that they got it. BUT, they don't go in as early as my chickens do. If I wait till it's a little darker they go in on their own. Rain doesn't faze them in the least. They love it!

 

[dixygirl]

Well how did they get out if it is enclosed. A 50 foot diameter space should be big enough to just leave them in there depending on the number of ducks. Do you have a door and a roof to keep them enclosed?

I would not worry about them not using the box portion but i would worry about them getting out of the fence.

Now if it has no roof and they can just come out of the pen ..... of course they will come out!
If that is the case try deer netting stretched over the top. It comes in 100 foot rolls for less than $20. I think the rolls are only about 7 feet wide so you will have to seam the strips together to cover a 50 foot width. Maybe you could connect the 7' wide strips with a roll of wire weaved thru or yarn or whatever. Though you could catch a cheap 50x50 bird dnet on ebay

If they are crawling underneath the fence you need to anchor the fence down at the bottom some how. Either to boards across the bottom or just with landscape staples nailing the fence into the earth.

Once it is enclosed properly then just leave them there.

PS I am concerned though that you call them" goofy yucks, stupid yucks and stinking yucks." It does not sound as if you like them very much

Are you sure you want to keep them at all if you dislike them?

 

[pookiethebear]

oh I like my yucks

much more now that they are out of my basement!!

They have a big open area for their pen. It is not topped and the sides are only 2.5' they can't go over it, so they had to have went under it. They only did it once and have not even tried to escape again. So I think we are ok there. I guess I will just let them go and not fret over them not going in their box.

Here is a stupid question..... what do you do with them in the winter??? Granted they may not make it that long, (the pekins are looking tatier and tastier ever day!!...oh did I say that out loud??!!), but the rouen is not much of a meat bird, so we will keep the three together as a flock.

 

[dixygirl]

To me they look cute. I don't see yummy. I ordered a Peking Duck off the menu at a Chinese Restaurant last week to try to remember how I liked duck. The taste was the same way I remember, it sort of tasted good but it had a funny taste along with it that made me want to puke.

So keeping it down was a battle. The fat was rubbery too and had the same effect

. At the same time the meat seemed kind of dry. I have even had a hard time eating chicken since I've had chicks. I have been eating just salad lately.

These two photos say it best.

People say they don't use their boxes that much even during winter.

PS Gosh these ducks are extremely photogenic!

 

[pookiethebear]

I have only ever had duck once, it was our thanksgiving turducken that we did 2 years ago. It was fantastic! Now I have a troublesome chicken and these tasty looking pekins.....and a turkey in the freezer....hummmmm........

 

[MissPrissy]

Ducks don't go in or roost like chickens. They love to be active and swim and splash at night. you can train them to go in but they don't like it.

Mine have a little house (19 appleyard ducks) but they never go in. It has become just a place to keep the feed dry.

They only need a shelter to get out of ice, snow, hail etc. - the damaging weather and winds.

 

[White Elk]

lol And I've been so concerned with how I would make my ducks sleeping box. Now I think my main concern will be to make sure I don't totally cover their pen with recycled fiberglass roofing. It sounds like the ducks will enjoy the wet weather here and I should leave a couple feet of open (but netted) roof. But now I worry that they will prefer sleeping under a bush along the house rather than come into the pen at night.