Ducks quacking at night

[Ren2014]

My ducks quack all night long. I would think instincts should tell them to be quiet because of predators. We do have two Great Pyrenees that walk the fence line all night barking and keeping the predators out. I don't know if they are disturbing the ducks or if it is normal for ducks to quack at night?? The ducks are around the Pyrs during the day so it's not like they are afraid of them.

 

[chooks4life]

Do the ducks sleep in a coop area, or on the dam, or in the yard somewhere?

The dogs may well be disturbing them at night, even if they're not afraid of dogs, because sudden blasts of sound often trigger in birds the desire to vocally connect with their family group.

Having said that, wild ducks are sometimes noisy at night but quiet during the day.

If they don't feel secure they might be noisy at night, but conversely it may be because they feel too secure, and have lost that instinct to hide their presence during resting hours. Many roosters are like that, because people don't cull it out. I've been culling roosters who crow at night for years now, it's easy to cull that trait out, since it breeds on if you let it, and then you have a quiet coop at night but many people breed the idiot roo who screams all night every night, disturbing all animals and humans within kilometers of his roosting place. Aggravating.

I don't have ducks but have had geese and some were possessed by the need to scream all night every night. Some just weren't. Some felt the need to go for midnight flights into barbed wire fences, clotheslines, trees, brick walls, etc, necessitating their being locked up every night, which quietened them. Perhaps your ducks are just like some roosters and some geese, and feel the need to make a ruckus at night. You may be able to silence them if you change their sleeping arrangements.

Best wishes with gaining a good night's sleep, if that's your issue, I've only just begun to catch up on what my landlord's roosters have been depriving me of for weeks now.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Usually my ducks are extremely chatty when we walk by their pen at night. So my guess is if they notice the dogs and are not afraid, then yes, they could be chatting up the dogs too. Sometimes they just chat with each other at night too. Ducks are pretty active, even at night. Just make sure they are locked up safe in predator proof housing and they should be fine.

 

[Amiga]

My ducks have discussions during the night. They nap a while and chat a while. When they hear the furnace kick in, they talk about that.

 

[Ren2014]

I feel better now knowing mine aren't the only night quackers. Thank you all for your replies. They are locked up tight at night so maybe they're just cheering the dogs on saying "go get 'em" or "thank you for protecting us," lol.

 

[Ren2014]

Do the ducks sleep in a coop area, or on the dam, or in the yard somewhere?

The dogs may well be disturbing them at night, even if they're not afraid of dogs, because sudden blasts of sound often trigger in birds the desire to vocally connect with their family group.

Having said that, wild ducks are sometimes noisy at night but quiet during the day.

If they don't feel secure they might be noisy at night, but conversely it may be because they feel too secure, and have lost that instinct to hide their presence during resting hours. Many roosters are like that, because people don't cull it out. I've been culling roosters who crow at night for years now, it's easy to cull that trait out, since it breeds on if you let it, and then you have a quiet coop at night but many people breed the idiot roo who screams all night every night, disturbing all animals and humans within kilometers of his roosting place. Aggravating.

I don't have ducks but have had geese and some were possessed by the need to scream all night every night. Some just weren't. Some felt the need to go for midnight flights into barbed wire fences, clotheslines, trees, brick walls, etc, necessitating their being locked up every night, which quietened them. Perhaps your ducks are just like some roosters and some geese, and feel the need to make a ruckus at night. You may be able to silence them if you change their sleeping arrangements.

Best wishes with gaining a good night's sleep, if that's your issue, I've only just begun to catch up on what my landlord's roosters have been depriving me of for weeks now.

This is all so good to know, especially culling roos for crowing at night. We received 5 unwanted White Leghorn roos with our chick order. They're still learning how to crow. Whoever crows at night will be the first to go. Thank you.

 

[dennin7418]

So...how do you shut them up???

The last two nights we've been up every hour because they are all quacking...some light chatter then some huge loud quacks...of course we get up and check and nothing is there. It has to stop

The ONLY thing I can think of is that the rats are around disrupting them....would this make sense? Poison is going down tonight regardless but ****...these ducks are pushing my last nerves...

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Poison is really not a good idea around your ducks. I don't know what's making your ducks make noise, sometimes its just what they do, particularly if its mating season and if you happen to have an aggressive drake. I really would discourage you from using poison. Why don't you first try separating the drakes from the ducks during the overnights?

 

[dennin7418]

The poison will not be inside with the ducks. I trapped over 60 rats last summer, poison is the only option.

The drakes aren't the problem. I have 4 drakes and 13 ducks and only the ducks are quacking...actually lately the ducks are the ones fighting.

 

[Ren2014]

The poison will not be inside with the ducks.  I trapped over 60 rats last summer, poison is the only option.  

The drakes aren't the problem.  I have 4 drakes and 13 ducks and only the ducks are quacking...actually lately the ducks are the ones fighting.