Goal is free range

[KCDC]

So I have a flock of 14 Khaki Campbell ducks that are 12 weeks old. My goal is to have them free range and I'm admittedly new to raising fowl. Are there steps I need to take before just opening the gate and letting them roam? Best practices or tips? Thanks in advance.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

So I have a flock of 14 Khaki Campbell ducks that are 12 weeks old. My goal is to have them free range and I'm admittedly new to raising fowl. Are there steps I need to take before just opening the gate and letting them roam? Best practices or tips? Thanks in advance.

i honestly wouldn’t free range ducks. they need to be protected from predators 24/7 and are even more likely to be killed by predators then chickens.

 

[KCDC]

I should note that they will be locked up in a predator proof coop nightly.

 

[DuckGirl77]

I would say some of it depends on your setup. I only free range my ducks when I'm right there watching them, but here's some things I've found. First, space: I know mine like to wander off to places with more bugs, so I always have to keep an eye on them so they don't cross the street or wander away. They don't go too far, but definitely more than chickens. If you have a large property this wouldn't be as much of an issue, but keep it in mind.
Also remember ducks LOVE being outside: they may not want to go inside at night and are harder to get inside if they're free ranging. If you have a pond, they'll want to sleep there. You'll have to put them in yourself sometimes, at least at first. That being said, if they've been in the coop for some time, they'll probably at least sit outside the door when it starts to get dark.
Remember you have more predators around than you know of, and they aren't all nocturnal. Personally, I only free range my ducks when I'm there to watch them. If I didn't, some kind of predator would have got them all by now. I would recommend at least while they're young keeping an eye on them.
I like to have mine trained to come for peas. It makes it ALOT easier to get them back lol. I also keep food in the coop, which they always come back for after free ranging.

 

[DucksOhio]

My ducks free range, but we have a big yard and are neighbors are duck friendly. Mostly they stay near the pond or around the duck house where water and snacks are kept. I have no issues with getting them in at night...they like to eat.

 

[Isaac 0]

So I have a flock of 14 Khaki Campbell ducks that are 12 weeks old. My goal is to have them free range and I'm admittedly new to raising fowl. Are there steps I need to take before just opening the gate and letting them roam? Best practices or tips? Thanks in advance.

I've free-ranged for around five years, I want to put this out there, you will lose some birds to predators, that almost a given, I lose around 1-2 birds on average a year to predators. I've noticed my ducks don't prefer Large open areas like fields since they have little to no cover from aerial attacks but they also don't like heavily wooded areas either, something in the middle like an orchard works best for them, that said if you have a large field it might be best to plant some trees shrubs or make a man-made shelter, At 12 weeks it might be a good idea to keep them in a fenced-in area till they are a bit bigger. It may take a little doing to get them back into the coop at night, but I've found just herding them with a stick or flashlight works great.