How to get ducks to go into coop at night?

[Brooke_R]

I just went out there with a rope but they started swimming to the middle of the pond before I could get close enough to do anything.. The pond’s way too big to go on both sides and lead them with a rope from that far out. Hopefully they’ll start actually coming up to eat if I don’t put food down there for them..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your pen doesn't have to be large but that way they wouldn't be able to get away when they come up to eat. What breed do you have? feeding up by their coop will help especially in winter when there isn't much else to eat.

 

[Maddog_photog]

One nice feature of keeping chickens is the easy way they put themselves to bed at night, each one going into her or his own coop at sundown, without being forced/driven/reminded/nagged. Sometimes I forget to be grateful for this self-directed habit of theirs until a visitor will ask "Just how do you get them to all come in at night?" and I remember "Hey, there's a nightly chore I don't have to do!"

The guineas will do this too, though sometimes they must receive updated signals from their Mother Ship to switch their roosting place. As long as it's safe and not subject to damage from their droppings I'll go along with it.

But what about ducks? Will they just as faithfully return on their own to their pen? I plan to let them roam freely about the yard all day, but think they should be enclosed at night to keep them safe from predators.

Am I right in thinking they prefer to sleep in snuggled together on the floor, and don't need a roost? I am planning on using a plastic dog house or plastic crate for their bedroom.

Will this be where the girls will lay their eggs? Will they lay them during the night? Do they need a separate nest box or do they lay them in their beds? Do they poop in their beds while they sleep the way chickens & guineas poop throughout the night?

They're only 4 weeks old now, I still bring them into the screened back porch at night, to sleep in a straw-lined plastic bin for safety's sake. But I know I need to prepare for them to sleep outside soon.

Thank you for your advice for my ducklings!

This post reminds me of this video - I hope it helps:

 

[21hens-incharge]

This post reminds me of this video - I hope it helps:

While mine are penned most of the time I use that every night to tell them I am coming and they need to go inside. It actually works.

 

[Brooke_R]

Your pen doesn't have to be large but that way they wouldn't be able to get away when they come up to eat. What breed do you have? feeding up by their coop will help especially in winter when there isn't much else to eat.

3 Pekins, 2 Mallards, and 2 Khaki Campbells. I tried that the last couple of days and they won’t come up to eat at all. I just now tried leading them to the coop and they all dispersed and ran to the pond. I was able to grab one and take her to the coop but the others did not care and stayed. When I went to let her out because it wasn’t working and she was alone, she hurt her bill somehow on the chicken wire trying to get out. Their wasn’t a sharp piece so I’m not sure how but she got her bill stuck in between the chicken wire and the wall. It’s very small and I put a safe for ducks Neosporen on it so I hope she’s okay. I’m just going to let them do what they want because I’ve tried everything nothing works and I ended up causing one of them to get hurt

 

[Brooke_R]

While mine are penned most of the time I use that every night to tell them I am coming and they need to go inside. It actually works.

I wish mine listened like that

 

[21hens-incharge]

I wish mine listened like that

It takes training and consistency. I started it when mine very first went to the outdoor pen.
The are capable of learning.
Having them in a pen makes the training easier.

You really do need to get them penned up. Get some friends and herd them like he did initially to get them into a pen.
Home depot sells really cheap plastic fence you can make a "funnel" to herd them to a gated pen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’ve read so many members get ducks and once they put them out on the pond that’s it they can’t get them to come home. It can be frustrating because it’s a worry having to leave them out with predators waiting for a good meal. If your pond is so large you can’t use a rope like was mentioned and you don’t have any one to help with guiding an herding then I guess your only option is to let them do what they want. Eventually you’ll have them picked off by predators but that’s something we all have to deal with if we free range. Fencing is always the best way to keep poultry then we have a better alternative to making sure we’re in control not them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This post reminds me of this video - I hope it helps:

that's a great video!! I have always used herding with mine but I can really see how this would work with a pond or more property than I have mine in since mine are on half acre fenced.

 

[Brooke_R]

I’ve read so many members get ducks and once they put them out on the pond that’s it they can’t get them to come home. It can be frustrating because it’s a worry having to leave them out with predators waiting for a good meal. If your pond is so large you can’t use a rope like was mentioned and you don’t have any one to help with guiding an herding then I guess your only option is to let them do what they want. Eventually you’ll have them picked off by predators but that’s something we all have to deal with if we free range. Fencing is always the best way to keep poultry then we have a better alternative to making sure we’re in control not them.

Thank y’all for your help. I’m hoping they stop acting like that and go to bed like the used to. I think my dad might move the coop closer to the pond so maybe that will help. I’ll try to make a sort of fence with the fencing we have. I still wouldn’t be able to even get them in it though with the way they’re cooperating now but I’ll try and maybe they will eventually