Will this work like I hope it will?

[maizey]

I've had chickens for a few years now and I've recently been contemplating either adding to or replacing the chickens with ducks. I have a smallish backyard and keep the chickens in a chicken tractor. We live in a neighborhood with a nice sized lake that we live right next to.. My question is; Would it be practical to think that I could allow the ducks to have free range of the lake and come home to lay and sleep? They would have about a 100 yard walk between "home" and the lake. Would it be more likely that they would just live full time on the lake and I'd never get any eggs from them? There are other ducks on the lake, presumably belonging to folks who live directly on the lake. Would I be very graciously providing them with extra ducks by letting mine free range? Thanks for the input.

 

[Amiga]

No predicting what the ducks would do, exactly. Part of it would depend on how you raised them, part on the breed, part on just unknown factors.

I do know that I would hesitate because I have seen so many stories of predator attacks on and around a lake.

 

[enriquec]

Most people say they can't be released. A small minority, myself from experience, say you can.

I jut hung out with my ducks outdoors all the time as a kid, played by the lake, even went cannoning on the lake and they followed me. Eventually, they stayed there and lives a long time. Something that was pointed out to me, is the domestic vs wild BREED. If they can't fly, much lower odds.

With my Rouens, I'm doing kind of that idea, except at night, they have a secure place to sleep safely. The predators around here have gotten enough flying ducks from what I hear..

 

[Massey]

i'll start out by saying i'm no experience of this at all so a lot of what i'm going to say comes with my 2 weeks of having my own ducks,

if you really spoil them a lot, i've been using peas with my ducks, and while they are still not too happy at coming too close to me they do come over to me every morning and evening when i let them out and put them to bed to get some peas, i also get giving out to if i havent got any with me,

so if you really spoil them every evening for a few weeks before allowing them to go to the lake and then once they come back from the lake give them peas every evening i think you could be fairly confident that they would come back each evening,