How do I introduce my ducks to their new home?

[Erika B]

I just brought 3 twelve-week-old ducks home and I'm not sure how to get them used to being here. Eventually they will be free-range birds, aside from being safely confined at night. There's tons of water around our place and I've made them a nice home, with everything they need, so I know they'll be happy, but I'm not sure if I just let them go for it and expect them to come back, or if I keep them in a smallish pen during the first days or weeks, or what....? They won't have food in their house, but it is nearby, so I know that's helpful for encouraging them into their house. They didn't get home until near dark tonight, so they've just been in their house. I haven't let them explore at all yet.

Any one have tips or their own experience to share? Would love some ideas here.

Thanks,

Erika
Van Zandt, WA

 

[Alice28]

I would keep them in a small fenced off part of the yard until they are use to your place, maybe a few weeks and put food in their pen at night and taking it out before you lock them in to help get them use to going in at night. Maybe slowly start letting them enjoy more of the yard, but if you let them out to roam to soon, they may not come back because they don't yet feel like your place is their home. Good luck with the ducks!

 

[JoyAnna]

Alice 28 offered good advice. Give the ducks at least a few days, or longer, to get used to their new surroundings and to get to know you before letting them roam freely. They will soon know that the new home is a safe place and that you are the one who feeds them. As Amiga often says, spend as much time with them as you can, talking softly (she sings to her ducks) to help them learn that this new change is not a threat to them. Also, I live near you, up in the Kendall area, so if you are new to ducks, maybe I could share what I have learned from my ducks for the past few years.
~~JoyAnna

 

[Erika B]

Thanks so much for the advice, really helpful. The ducks are in a small yard and seem very happy. I'll probably just let their comfort level tell me when to expand their area.

Erika

 

[emmajane07]

Hello! I kept my ducks in their coop for 3 days...on the 4th day I let them out on their own. Try to feed them at the same times every day---especially at night time, so they are use to a night time feeding and know where they have to go to get it

 

[Alice28]

...

Thanks so much for the advice, really helpful.  The ducks are in a small yard and seem very happy.  I'll probably just let their comfort level tell me when to expand their area.

Erika
[/quote

Good plan

every animal is different, so just feel it out. Good luck!

 

[rocketdog]

No answers for ou, but I recently brought a wild duck home. Let me explain, we lost 2 ducks and my drake was really frustrated, and was taking it out on my chickens. He has only 1 girl left. So I found a duck with her nest of 14 eggs. I bropught them home and kept them isolated from the others. 1 day later, I let her out, (she had been sitting her nest, and even covered the eggs before emerging), and she immediately flew away. My drake is beside himself, can I expect to ever see her again, or do I need to incubate these eggs?

 

[ccook06]

No answers for ou, but I recently brought a wild duck home. Let me explain, we lost 2 ducks and my drake was really frustrated, and was taking it out on my chickens. He has only 1 girl left. So I found a duck with her nest of 14 eggs. I bropught them home and kept them isolated from the others. 1 day later, I let her out, (she had been sitting her nest, and even covered the eggs before emerging), and she immediately flew away. My drake is beside himself, can I expect to ever see her again, or do I need to incubate these eggs?

I have to be honest, taking a wild duck and her nest home doesn't seem like the best way to provide companionship for your drake. First of all, wild ducks can carry diseases that can make domestic ducks very sick and can even be fatal (there has been recent outbreaks of birdflu in my state from wild ducks causing many backyard chickens to have to be euthanized). Second, many ducks mate for life and that female may very well have a mate. So she may have abandoned those eggs to be with him.

Wild animals usually do not acclimate and will not become pets. There are laws in most states against handling/removing wildlife from their environments except in emergency situations and then only by authorized wildlife management.

Maybe check locally for girls for your drake. I see people selling/giving away domestic ducks through the paper quite frequently. Animal shelters and rescues often have ducks available for adoption as well. Of course there is always the internet for purchasing eggs, ducklings and ducks of all ages and this time of year the ranch supply stores have lots of ducklings for sale for just a few dollars.

 

[jak2002003]

No answers for ou, but I recently brought a wild duck home. Let me explain, we lost 2 ducks and my drake was really frustrated, and was taking it out on my chickens. He has only 1 girl left. So I found a duck with her nest of 14 eggs. I bropught them home and kept them isolated from the others. 1 day later, I let her out, (she had been sitting her nest, and even covered the eggs before emerging), and she immediately flew away. My drake is beside himself, can I expect to ever see her again, or do I need to incubate these eggs?

Please tell me this is a joke?!

 

[Alice28]

Please tell me this is a joke?!

It has to be! I would hope no one would be that clueless to take a wild animal PLUS a nest! Especially with all the ducks available this time of year! Yikes!