Muscovy ducks roosting problem

[Agwhite]

I've raised ducks for 6 years but roosting is new to me. I am 1 year into raising my muscovy ducks. They are completely independent and live on a large pond surrounded by plenty of trees and snags. They spend most nights roosting on the neighbors dock and free range during the daytime hours. As I’ve spent more time home for the holidays, I’ve noticed that the muscovies have taken up residence on our back patio and in our windows. They have chosen our new patio furniture as their new favorite roosting spot. As you can see in the picture there are a lot of ducks and I can't keep up with all of the droppings. And that’s not even all of them. They are great flyers and are capable of roosting in the trees, or even on the roof. I thought Muscovy ducks had claws and liked trees, but they insist on roosting on the patio instead. Does anyone know why they do this? I really need help brainstorming on how I can convince them to roost in a more natural area out of the way, preferably in the trees. We truly adore them and don't mind them being there, but it has become their main pooping spot and it's just too much. Especially when we have company and that is used as a seating area! Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[ruthhope]

I think they do it to be near you. My muscovy hang out on my back steps peering in through my patio doors for hours. They are so nosy!! I have to hose down every evening, and twice a day if I have company.

I think you have to break their habit quickly before the patio becomes "their space" as mine has. Can you put up temprary screens to keep them out until they have changed their roost? Better still, can you build a duck house with raised roosting for your muscovy and get them in the habit of roosting there?

 

[Miss Lydia]

We put up a gate to keep our Muscovy and chickens off our porch. They really should have a safe house to go into at night with roosting boards I use 2x4's flat side down so they have a comfortable place to roost.

I'm just like Ruth my hoses are my best friend. lol

 

[RebinNH]

Yep, so far I follow them over the yard, front stoop and driveway and hose areas before night fall and it freezes. My deck however has a railing and they don't bother to fly over it. Mine prefer to sleep inside their coop at night. I go out at dusk and they all are waiting for me to open the door. Except for sleeping they don't care and I don't really want them in the area (more to clean). In the AM, as long as I am out before 8:30 to let them out (except for the shelf my drake sleeps on) the straw is clean. That is, as long as I wake them by opening the door before they hear me. Thankfully the girls seem to save it for outside on the lawn.

 

[TNTHobbyFarm]

Since owls are a natural predator of ducks, set a few plastic decoys up around the pool to scare them off. For this to effectively work though, it's best to invest in a decoy that hoots and makes simple physical movements like head turns. you can get them at places like Cabela.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since owls are a natural predator of ducks, set a few plastic decoys up around the pool to scare them off. For this to effectively work though, it's best to invest in a decoy that hoots and makes simple physical movements like head turns. you can get them at places like Cabela.

 

[CharlieX]

they go on the roof too many times, so i clip a wing on each of them so they cannot fly too high. in my coop, i built shelves throughout the coop that they can walk up to sleep. muscovvy has chicken habit of wanting to sleep very high from the ground. my muscovies don't wonder off too far from the house, they stay close by

 

[Miss Lydia]

they go on the roof too many times, so i clip a wing on each of them so they cannot fly too high. in my coop, i built shelves throughout the coop that they can walk up to sleep. muscovvy has chicken habit of wanting to sleep very high from the ground. my muscovies don't wonder off too far from the house, they stay close by