The Duck Thread

[needlessjunk]

I am new to owning ducks and was wondering the best approach to get them to enter their roost at night. They are currently in with my chickens because of the bitterly cold temps (-6) here in Wisconsin. I did build them a separate area under the stoop to the chicken coop (access to the right of the steps) and will transfer thmm overy to the "quack shack" when temps warm. Currently, every evening my 5 y.o. daughter and I have to wrangle the 5 ducks and physically place them in the coop. It's great exercise and a bit fun (more so for my daughter), but I'm sure it will get old quickly. Any advice on how to "train" them to go to roost would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Get 2 long poles and "herd" them to the area you want them to go. Do you have ramp of something like that? If so that may be why they really don't want to go in at night. Ramps can be kinda tricky for them to get up. I also take a cup of peas and throw them in the coop as a treat and they go running in.

 

[MandyJ]

I am new to owning ducks and was wondering the best approach to get them to enter their roost at night. They are currently in with my chickens because of the bitterly cold temps (-6) here in Wisconsin. I did build them a separate area under the stoop to the chicken coop (access to the right of the steps) and will transfer thmm overy to the "quack shack" when temps warm. Currently, every evening my 5 y.o. daughter and I have to wrangle the 5 ducks and physically place them in the coop. It's great exercise and a bit fun (more so for my daughter), but I'm sure it will get old quickly. Any advice on how to "train" them to go to roost would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Put food in the house. Especially treats. I put a dog crate in my ducks pen that I had a little nesting box in. They were very leary of the crate (it was something new to them) so I put a trail of peas into the box ending at a bowl of peas with scratch mixed in. They followed the peas inside and have continued to go into the crate to lay their eggs and when it gets below freezing (which isn't often in Texas).

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am new to owning ducks and was wondering the best approach to get them to enter their roost at night. They are currently in with my chickens because of the bitterly cold temps (-6) here in Wisconsin. I did build them a separate area under the stoop to the chicken coop (access to the right of the steps) and will transfer thmm overy to the "quack shack" when temps warm. Currently, every evening my 5 y.o. daughter and I have to wrangle the 5 ducks and physically place them in the coop. It's great exercise and a bit fun (more so for my daughter), but I'm sure it will get old quickly. Any advice on how to "train" them to go to roost would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Those steps are way to steep and too far apart try a ramp with runner strips across or some roof shingle and make the ramp so it isn't so steep but at least that wide. Those steps just won't work for water fowl. @CvilleCluckers cute coop.

 

[gander007]

I am new to owning ducks and was wondering the best approach to get them to enter their roost at night. They are currently in with my chickens because of the bitterly cold temps (-6) here in Wisconsin. I did build them a separate area under the stoop to the chicken coop (access to the right of the steps) and will transfer thmm overy to the "quack shack" when temps warm. Currently, every evening my 5 y.o. daughter and I have to wrangle the 5 ducks and physically place them in the coop. It's great exercise and a bit fun (more so for my daughter), but I'm sure it will get old quickly. Any advice on how to "train" them to go to roost would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

Put some crack corn in the coop and they will soon run in there in the evening as the thought of food will do the job and as @needlessjunk wrote you should use two sticks to help you herd the ducks in to the coop ...

My ducks just sleep in the yard here where I live but it really don't get that cold here in the desert ........

 

[Ren2014]

I am new to owning ducks and was wondering the best approach to get them to enter their roost at night. They are currently in with my chickens because of the bitterly cold temps (-6) here in Wisconsin. I did build them a separate area under the stoop to the chicken coop (access to the right of the steps) and will transfer thmm overy to the "quack shack" when temps warm. Currently, every evening my 5 y.o. daughter and I have to wrangle the 5 ducks and physically place them in the coop. It's great exercise and a bit fun (more so for my daughter), but I'm sure it will get old quickly. Any advice on how to "train" them to go to roost would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Treats, treats and more treats is all I can say, lol. Just to clarify... are you trying to run them up those steps or into the wood box below?? Steps? not gonna happen, way too dangerous. If you want them up top build a ramp that is 45 degree angle at the most, with side boards. Same for the bottom, basically create an alley way to lead them up using their favorite treats. Good luck.

ps... they will eventually get the routine, ~2 weeks has been my experience, then they will put themselves up or go in with me just walking behind them.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

Chilly flock pics

 

[Ren2014]

Chilly flock pics

O WOW! Beautiful! This weather is just amazing.... sunny and 55 here.

 

[Ren2014]

All 6 eggs hatched. #6 yesterday evening.

 

[haileyE]

In a inclose coop or have a protector animal like a dog

 

[Miss Lydia]

All 6 eggs hatched. #6 yesterday evening.

They are beautiful ducklings.. Congrats!!