Eglu Cube Coop and Accessories

[emmaw298]

So I took the plunge and got my first 2 ducks this weekend! Very excited, even though the new pond looks very DIY and not at all the designer water feature I had in mind

I am now the proud owner of Dilys and Daphne - two pretty little khaki campbells at point of lay (no eggs yet...)

I had read that ducks tend not to go to bed at night like chickens do, but I had not been prepared for the palava of the last 2 nights! Chasing noisy ducks round the garden in our pyjamas in the dark two nights in a row now (can't imagine what the neighbours must think ) My OH has already lost patience with them and the chickens have now gone up remarkably in his estimation - all previous antics now forgotten!

I didn't want to leave them out in case we received a visit from the fox, but as they are not used to humans yet (they are not used to the interaction anyway) they kept running away at full pelt and boy are they fast!!

So today I have attached their house to the eglu run and kept them in that all day, with two big sinkbowls of water to sit in (which they did). I figure if I keep them in there for a few days they will eventually recognise their house as their own and go in at night and also feel a bit safer - they are sharing the garden space with my hens and there has been a bit of a stand off so far...

Do you think it is ok to keep them like this for a few days? Are there any treats I can give them to get them to like me?? Do they like the same treats as chickens, sweetcorn, pasta etc?? do they need grit? (I am assuming they do and have mixed into the pellets)

any other tips please??

 

emma x

[Lesley]

Congratulations on your new ducks! - they will soon settle in.

 

Good idea to keep them confined for a while so that they become used to their home. Try giving them some mixed corn in the afternoon to get them used to a treat. They will become used to it and then you should be able to use it to entice them back towards their house once you've let them out again.

[Blues08]

They will be naturally nervous of you especially as they are a bit older and have not imprinted from a duckling kind of age. If you can, try spending some time in the garden with them, if the weathers good take a book etc etc. I used a piece of bamboo about 2 ft long as an extension of my arms and coralled them in, now when they get cheeky and try and stay out I hold out the bamboo and off they waddle to bed.

 

My two buff orpingtons love blueberries and will eat from my hand so can be bribed as well!!

 

Stick with it

 

Carl

 

PS. yes they need some grit, but I imagine they'll share it with the chickens

[Chucky1]

Congrats on the new ducks - I'm sure you won't regret it.

 

My experience after 6/7 months is that the ducks still have to be put in to bed, even if it is only me saying "Time for bed Quacks."

 

I recognise the chasing around bit at night though One thing that helped us was to arrange their house so that it was at an edge rather than in the middle. We put boards on either side of the entrance to their house to "funnel" them in.

 

Ducks tend to stick together when threatened whereas chickens scatter. Ducks also have good peripheral vision. So if you stand about 10 to 15 feet behind them, they will move away. If you raise your right arm, they go left.

 

Keep the movements small and with practice you can get quite accurate with manouvering.

 

Best of Luck

[donald]

So they are keeping you fit!

 

Ducks wont usually put themselves in their house at dusk like chickens do. But they usually will start to come down to home around that time, as soon as its too dark they will be off!Mine use to spend the night safely on our pond if I couldnt get them in or wasnt around. Timing with ducks was always crucial(easy to miss their slot....if I was going to be out at dusk I would leave them in the run..yes fox will be around).

 

Yes leave them in as they need to know where sleeping accomodation is and get settled to their new lodgings.

 

Agree with other posts the treats (food) will help them in, rattling a bowl and popping it in the house to get them in. If they are free ranging in a large area they probably wont need grit but if they are not free ranging they will need it.

 

You have to herd them in(a bit like rounding up sheep)!Perhaps have their house up against a wall or corner so that you can corner them! layers pellets should suffice in a rattly bowl.

 

Good luck they will settle Donald

[jayjay]

I'm sorry Emma but I had to have a good giggle at your duck troubles! I'm just remembering the first night we tried to put our pair to bed and the domestic that ensued! 'Who's stupid idea was it to get ducks........' All I can say is that 1 year later I wouldn't swap them for the world. It took about 2-3 weeks for them to be OK with being put to bed. They still don't go in on their own! Here's my routine.

 

At 7am I let them out and they go off on the wander. (I can't believe ducks can walk so far - they visit every neighbour on the street). I leave a wee bit of food for them for during the day but not a lot. At 4ish I open the food box and 'hey presto' they are at my heels looking as though they hadn't seen food in years . They then tend to wander around closer to home til dusk when they actually go into their run themselves. When dark I go and put them in the house - no hassle. So take heart, when they get to know you and their house they will be well-behaved!

 

I have to say that having a run for them to go into has been a godsend. They go in - I shut the door job done!

 

Good luck

 

JJ

[emmaw298]

Thanks all for your helpful comments! I have kept them in the run this week and they do seem to be improving (less scared when I approach etc...) I let them out again for the first time today and they LOVE being back on the pond. I love their little antics - particularly the tail waggle! Fingers crossed for a seamless transition to bed tonight! (will try out your tips thank you).

[kfriell]

Hi...

 

To train my ducks I use to tear up a slice of bread where the ducks could see me and placed it into their water container I would then walk up to their house carrying the water container, low and behold they followed me up so they could get their little beaks on the bread.

 

Mine would do anything for a slice of bread!!