ducks keep going in neighbors yard!!

[emuhleey]

I have 3 free range magpie ducks that are normally very well-behaved and stay in my yard all day and return to their pen at dusk. A few days ago we just got a new next door neighbor, and they ran over there several times and I had to chase them back. I did it again this morning, that was the first thing they did when i let them out. So I chased them full speed and locked them back up in the pen for the rest of the day.
Am I doing the right thing to teach them to stay out of their yard? I don't want to inconvenience our brand new neighbors! Will the ducks learn their lesson? This is so unlike them. Plus, they seemed to be afraid of me today...understandable but will they ever go back to idolizing me and following me everywhere? Lol I love my babies, I just hate how they've been behaving!

 

[Amiga]

I would draw them back with treats rather than chase them.

Ducks are a prey species, so they're wired to be wary of tall things that chase. They cannot help it.

And I would get some kind of fence.

 

[emuhleey]

Fencing isn't an option, our property is too big and it wouldn't work the way its laid out.
Will they come to trust and love me again? I just really wanted them to learn a lesson.

 

[Going Quackers]

Hard to say, i shoo mine back the odd time they go to the neighbours, heck were all small farms here no excuse for that nonsense.. it's mainly fenced on that side too.. i think they just get carried away while foraging and don't realize they have left, it's not like they know what a property line is, know what i mean?

I'd keep them locked in for a few days, personally and speak with the neighbours FOR SURE, ours know if they see them please call or shoo them back, it's a rare thing but it's important your all on the same page, if fencing is a non option and you cannot keep them off the neighbours you have a big problem, unfortunately.

As for the fright, how old? all ducks go through a bit of a frightened stage, just keep being there, food etc it'll pass.

 

[emuhleey]

The next morning I went back to their pen area and fed them tomatoes and they seemed just as friendly as always lol so theyre not scared of me Theyre almost a year old, when do they usually go through a scared phase? And I didn't SEE them run over to the neighbor's yard either...hopefully they really didn't but who knows, ducks are smarter than they get credit for, they couldve snuck over!

 

[Miss Lydia]

The next morning I went back to their pen area and fed them tomatoes and they seemed just as friendly as always lol so theyre not scared of me

Theyre almost a year old, when do they usually go through a scared phase? And I didn't SEE them run over to the neighbor's yard either...hopefully they really didn't but who knows, ducks are smarter than they get credit for, they couldve snuck over!

I would also ask the neighbors to please not feed them, you know oh how cute lets givie them some bread. and hopefully the new neighbors don't have a dog or dogs.

 

[jdywntr]

I would talk to the new neighbors, apologize that you noticed that your ducks had gone to their house. Strike up a conversation and see if they have dogs. Give them your phone number and ask them to call if the ducks return. If the neighbors don't want your ducks there (which is their right) or they have dogs which could kill your ducks, you will need to come up with a way to contain them. If fencing the entire side is not possible, you may need to build a pen for them.

 

[Wynette]

Fencing isn't an option, our property is too big and it wouldn't work the way its laid out.
Will they come to trust and love me again? I just really wanted them to learn a lesson.

Your property is "too big" to add fencing?

And, "learn a lesson" - these are ducks you're talking about, not children. To them, it probably feels like the entire planet is their oyster.

Please re-think the fencing issue. There are oodles of different types of fencing, and it's your responsibility to keep them safe as their guardian.

I would talk to the new neighbors, apologize that you noticed that your ducks had gone to their house. Strike up a conversation and see if they have dogs. Give them your phone number and ask them to call if the ducks return. If the neighbors don't want your ducks there (which is their right) or they have dogs which could kill your ducks, you will need to come up with a way to contain them. If fencing the entire side is not possible, you may need to build a pen for them.

+1 on this!

 

[Going Quackers]

I would talk to the new neighbors, apologize that you noticed that your ducks had gone to their house. Strike up a conversation and see if they have dogs. Give them your phone number and ask them to call if the ducks return. If the neighbors don't want your ducks there (which is their right) or they have dogs which could kill your ducks, you will need to come up with a way to contain them. If fencing the entire side is not possible, you may need to build a pen for them.

Yep, that's what i said speak with those neighbours... when you have animals it's always good to at the very least have some basic communication, i have dogs names and phone numbers because i have had to return one the odd time... stuff happens even for those of us being most careful.

 

[jdywntr]

Yep, that's what i said speak with those neighbours... when you have animals it's always good to at the very least have some basic communication, i have dogs names and phone numbers because i have had to return one the odd time... stuff happens even for those of us being most careful.

You are a better person than me. I now go out armed if I see a dog. I wouldn't shoot it for just being here, I would scare it off (and have about 5 times) but if it is going after the birds, it better hope my aim doesn't improve. I've lost more chickens to dogs than to wild predators here.