About 2 weeks ago I started letting my then 6 week old Rouens (which I've had since they were two days old) out of their pen to try out our acre pond. The first couple days they wouldn't go further than 5 feet out since it was all new to them and much bigger than their kiddie pool. We have geese that visit the pond yearly to raise their babies. I have to say thanks to the geese the ducks quickly got comfortable with the pond and sometimes "hang out" with them. Before the ducks started hanging with the wild bunch they would go into their duck house voluntarily at night and I would just have to go lock them up. But now they only go into their pen during the day to snack on feed and then they are right back out in the pond. I have given up trying to get them at night, they just swim on by like I'm not even there
So they sleep unprotected, I'm guessing on the bank or floating on the water. Everytime they see me or I make my "here's a treat' sound they respond by quacking and they will swim over but only during the day. But for the most part they would rather be out in the pond. So I'm wondering if once the geese leave will the ducks want to stay in the pen at night? Who knows. I do worry that since they are out all night unprotected and have no 'street smarts' like the geese that they will becaome prey. Ugh! They enjoy the pond so much and I want them to be happy.
Has anyone else had a similar situation with their ducks?
Has anyone else had a similar situation with their ducks?
