training ducks to go into the hut

[amarook]

I never really had to wrangle my runners. They just automatically went into the duck house on their own when it got dark.

 

[10ducks]

Mine took about a week to train using the herding method. I had them bedding down in my garage and then when I finished their coop, I had to re-train them, and that was harder than teaching them to come up to the house at night. They are certainly creatures of habit!

 

[Soccer Mom]

Here is what it looks like after they are trained.

Teaching them to go up the ramp was the hard part. They are really funny about the order too. Stay-Puf, the White Crested in the bottom of the pic is always last. Her job is to stand at the bottom of the ramp and holler until everyone is up. Then she goes to the top and stands there until you walk up to close the ramp. Sometimes I have to tap her to get her to jump inside.

 

[tdkmom]

Oh please let that be true for mine. We do the rodeo every night. It's been a week and I was hoping when I went out tonight they'd all be in. The chickens all were but the 4 ducks were sitting under the ramp quacking. Had to chase. It was a little easier tonight but I would so love for them to all go in on their own. Maybe another week and they'll get the idea.

 

[Tweeza]

I got mine to go in by themselves by say "bedtime" as a herded them into thier house. Now all I have to do is say bedtime and they go in. It took about a week.

 

[Wifezilla]

It has been MONTHS. My brats just don't like going to bed. It is more fun to make us chase them...LOL

It reminds me of an old Bill Cosby routine....

"understand we cannot sleep through the night unless we've had a good beating"

 

[ChickBond 007]

Ok, you'll laugh but here's how I do it...

I have two old poles, one ski pole and one broom handle. I walk toward them holding the sticks to each side and say "ducka ducka ducka--get in there". If they attempt to manuver from the path to the kennel, I wiggle the stick on that side.
It works.
It's weird.
But it works.

 

[citalk2much]

Mine go right in with the chickens

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
I lol'ed only because I have some weird ways I talk to my ducks too. My husband who's super straight noticed how they respond to me and he sounds so funny when he tries to imitate my gibberish. I wish I had a video camera to catch him doing it.

 

[lovemeduckins]

My two go in their enclosure while slooooowly waddling in front of me and stopping right...at...the...gate, until I say, "we do this every night." Then they waddle in.

Crazy, I know. The only thing they will not do is go in the way-cool huge (our dogs are jealous), dog house in the enclosure when it storms.

Go figure.

I keep their food in there so it is comfy, but that's it. I think when we expand the enclosure we will try cubby holes so they can see out both ways. Prey animals, oi!