Help! 6wk ducklings refuse to come back to barn at night

[Miss Lydia]

Update, two days ago, before I started on our evening routine of manually bringing a few into the coop, the four that were free ranging already walked from the pond to the coop precisely at dusk. They got nervous though then went back to the pond. I still need to bring 3-6 into the coop and lock them in the stock tank before the others will [reluctantly] follow.

Are you rewarding them when they come? That is important to have some dried mealworms or something similar so they have an incentive to come home.

 

[User635240]

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Are you rewarding them when they come? That is important to have some dried mealworms or something similar so they have an incentive to come home.

I haven't bought the mealworms yet (sorry, low budget), but I have withheld their regular feed to place it in the horse trailer. As soon as I am able, I will buy a bag of mealworms and try what you suggested. I will bring them peas and rice to the pond, while shaking the container, once during the day. The last two nights they have started walking to the barn on their own at dusk; they need some encouragement to actually enter the coop, and again a little more encouragement to hop into the trailer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Whatever works and sounds like your are definitely getting there. It doesn't have to be meal worms I know they are pricey.
Getting them home and safe is what counts. And your doing a good job of training them.

 

[User635240]

Yay! Success! I came home late, about half an hour after sunset, and found... ALL DUCKS IN BED NOW! I was so proud of them! Thank you BYC for all your great suggestions and encouragement!

Here's their going to bed process- they prefer to wait to enter the coop until after the chickens have gone in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yay! Success! I came home late, about half an hour after sunset, and found... ALL DUCKS IN BED NOW! I was so proud of them! Thank you BYC for all your great suggestions and encouragement!
View attachment 3656738

Here's their going to bed process- they prefer to wait to enter the coop until after the chickens have gone in.
View attachment 3656742
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My ducks do the same Chickens always first.

 

[Miss Lydia]

One thing we always have to keep in our minds is after sunset predators will be roaming around, and all our birds need to be inside and locked up before dark.

 

[User635240]

Hi all, I am just despondent. The ducks have stopped coming in at night. This is the 4th night they have stayed out at the pond. I think one of the roosters was herding them away from the coop/garage, so I removed him during dusk. I also stopped feeding treats to the ducks during the day. Tonight they did start their approach to the barn, and maybe I made a mistake by appearing and herding them into the coop/garage. They did honk and get excited when I waved the red snack scoop for them and came closer. One duck wanted to go in, one wanted to go back to the pond, and the rest were indecisively waiting outside. They got spooked and ran back to the pond for the night. Eventually they will get eaten by a fox or raccoon. (Indeed, I chased off a juvenile red fox from the pond last week.) I'll try again tomorrow by not being around at all and seeing if they come in on their own. Any other suggestions?
I could build them their own hut by the pond, but what would prevent the chickens from using it, eating the food in there, etc? Also, it might just get too cold in a hut during the winter. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like your going to have to start all over with them. But give it another try and hopefully with removing the rooster and only feeding them at the barn and in the evening before bed will get them back to safety.

 

[User635240]

Sounds like your going to have to start all over with them. But give it another try and hopefully with removing the rooster and only feeding them at the barn and in the evening before bed will get them back to safety.

question @Miss Lydia , one of the ducks seemed less active than the others today. She was foraging but would take breaks and curl up on the grass. They have not eaten a full grain meal for two days, and it has been raining and 45^F here. She is 12 weeks old. Is it possible she is suffering from exposure? Should I attempt to catch her and bring her in, or wait for the flock to come inside in 6 hours?

 

[beckyditto]

I have three ducks 8 weeks old. I have a Jumbo Pekin, a Black Sweedish and a Buff. The Pekin and Sweedish are doing awesome, the Buff not so good. She has pretty much stopped growing. She is about the size of a 4-5 week old. Her legs are very wobbly and look to be bowed backwards. They don’t appear to be swollen, but she can’t stand straight and she walks on the back of them. I have increased her niacin, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Her drinking water has hydro hen, Niacin, ACV, and B complex added to it. Her food is organic starter food with fly larva fresh kale and sprinkled with oregano, brewers yeast and a little garlic powder. She has not improved any at all with the extra nutrients. I don’t know what else to do. Im afraid I will have to put her down if she doesn’t start getting better. She don’t eat as much as she should. She won’t splash around in the water, she just stands in it. She tries to preen but her legs are so week she can’t stand to do it. She keeps falling over when she tries to reach everywhere to preen. If she gains any weight her legs are not strong enough to hold her body up. What can I do? Im getting desperate, I don’t want to loose her, but I don’t want her to suffer either. Please, any advice would be appreciated.
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