wayward ducks

[ftmom17]

Hello,
I have had chickens for many years and have never had this issue.... we got 3 ducks in the spring, 2 turned out to be hens and one drake, one hen is a Silver Appleyard (pretty big, heavy duck) and the other two are domestic Mallards. They have an acre fenced in where they seem completely happy all day. In the evenings now for the past 2 weeks they have been found in the neighbor's yard on the other side of the fence. I find no holes or escape routes in the fence - the chickens don't get out either... I am guessing they are flying out. I clipped the flight feathers from one wing on each duck. The next night only the 2 hens were out, now they are penned up all day and all night because it is very difficult - and unsafe for them to be out of the yard. They have always slept in the poultry house/shed we have for them, they rarely ever went to bed on their own, we have to walk behind them with flashlights and tell them to "go to bed" which they protest loudly to.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why they may be leaving the yard at dusk and what I can do about it? Thanks!

 

[rjohns39]

Hello,
I have had chickens for many years and have never had this issue.... we got 3 ducks in the spring, 2 turned out to be hens and one drake, one hen is a Silver Appleyard (pretty big, heavy duck) and the other two are domestic Mallards. They have an acre fenced in where they seem completely happy all day. In the evenings now for the past 2 weeks they have been found in the neighbor's yard on the other side of the fence. I find no holes or escape routes in the fence - the chickens don't get out either... I am guessing they are flying out. I clipped the flight feathers from one wing on each duck. The next night only the 2 hens were out, now they are penned up all day and all night because it is very difficult - and unsafe for them to be out of the yard. They have always slept in the poultry house/shed we have for them, they rarely ever went to bed on their own, we have to walk behind them with flashlights and tell them to "go to bed" which they protest loudly to.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why they may be leaving the yard at dusk and what I can do about it? Thanks!

Hi and welcome to BYC Ducks can be pretty darned independent and rock headed. Odds are they are going under the fence. I've watched mine put their bill (tunnel in some cases) under the fence and kind of flip it up and go out. They return the same way.

Using duck logic, they must think the other yard is safer at night. My hens all go into shelters voluntarily at night but the drakes don't want to go. Last week, the hens decided to move out of their shelter and move in with the chickens, who don't seem to mind so now they sleep with the chickens at night and I have an empty shelter out in the pasture.

Sorry I wasn't more help. Again, Welcome and we're happy you've joined us When you have a sec, stop by new member introductions and tell us a little about yourself.

 

[ftmom17]

Thanks, I plan on setting up camp in the yard one of these evenings to watch exactly what happens - I don't know if I will be able to see them though. You may be onto something with them feeling safer in the neighbor's yard, the neighbor has a dusk till dawn light on the back of his garage, that is where I find them. I also find them with their bills deep down in the grass too - so it is possible he has better (or more) bugs too. lol

 

[lomine]

My ducks mostly go in to the coop on their own. Some nights the door goes down before they get in so they hang out just outside the pop door waiting for me to let them in. I trained them to go in with dry mealworms. At first I had to lure them in at dusk while shaking a plastic container. (From a very young age I would shake the container before giving them the treat so they learned what that sound meant and would always follow the sound.) They eventually learned to go in on their own. Every evening they get a handful of worms in their bucket so they continue wanting to be in the coop.

There are others that have found that putting a light in the coop helps lure them in. You can just turn it off when you see they are all in. Since you know they are attracted to light that might be a good option for yours.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks follow each other, so it's monkey see, monkey do...I only let my Ducks out while I sit with them...I have a Fox problem and now a young Bald Eagle problem too....They never want to go back to the run...Reminds me of sending kids to their room...Lots of protesting...

 

[DanielleInUro]

re: Getting them into their run, they get a roma tomato to play football with every night. They follow me into the run yelling, especially if I stop and show it to them before I head in. Then I walk around behind them and close the door while they're arguing over it.

 

[Ceil's ducks]

I understand about ducks escaping. I recently made a duck pond for mine & covered it with a greenhouse. My 2 older ducks chase the teenagers out of the greenhouse.

 

[Ceil's ducks]

Now these 2 have laid 25 eggs, and managed to pick them up and put them in an incubator. My mistake was to put them in the incubator every day. I found out your to hold the eggs at 60 degree temp. Then when you have all the eggs put them in the incubator. So now I have 2 babies, 5 ducks ready to hatch & 14 fresh eggs.

 

[chickens really]

Ugh......

 

[Ceil's ducks]

I can only keep Mom & Dad.