Poorly chicken

[rufusanddaisy]

Hi All,

 

We are fairly new to duck keeping, we got our 3 white campbell girls (Doris, Delilah and Daphne) 4 weeks ago, they are now 12 weeks old. They have free range of the garden during the day and we put them to bed when we go around 10pm. They happily waddle into their run but seem to just sleep in the grass and not in their house! Will this effect if they will lay eggs or not? Sorry if this seems a daft question!

 

Also cannot find the options setting in my profile tab to add the cool little icons

[Daisgirl]

Hi. I am a freshly laid egg too! So I can't offer you advice but I am sure someone else can. As they are new additions to the family perhaps they are not sure where to go.

I started herding my runners into their house and I lock them up overnight. Now, I don't have to do this as once I usher them into their run, they know it is bedtime and go straight into their house for me to close the door.

With regards to the little icons, I think these are accessible once you have left a few posts as it was the same for me when I joined.

 

Penny x

[rufusanddaisy]

Hi Penny

 

Thanks for your reply, we have just herded them into the eglu and closed the door, but I had to use a broom to herd them in as I couldn't get inside the run!I hope they are not too unhappy with me in the morning! I think you were right they didn't know. Poor girls, they are so funny....

 

Many thanks Clara x

 

Husband, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 3 ducks!!

[mollyripkim]

Hi

I have had my two call ducks for a year now, they freerange mostly but are easy to herd back into the run with the chickens. However I don't think they have the same roosting instincts as every night I have to go and herd them into their duck house which is a pain in the winter with a torch. As soon as I go I to the run they sort if make their way into the house but have never done it of their own accord.

[Daisgirl]

Hi Clara

 

As I have a slipped disc sometimes I use a broom handle to use as an extra long arm or sometimes I bribe them with a trail of titbits to the run

 

Saying that, the last two nights they have put them selves into their pen before I have even gone out to put put them away - soooooooooo much easier

 

Penny x

[Chortle Chook]

The important thing is that your ducks should be safe from Mr Fox. That is really the only reason for shutting them up at night. Unlike chickens, ducks in the wild do not roost at night but sit out on the water or on a bit of land in the middle of water which is where they are safest. Some will spend a nervous time on the bank but they don't go to sleep the way chickens do. Unlike chickens they can see in the dark so don't need to take the same precautions.

 

Also, unlike chickens, they don't need a nest box for laying but just plop their eggs down wherever they feel like it. I've had several layed right in the water (which of course sunk to the bottom of their paddling pool). So not being shut in at night will not stop them from laying eggs. The general advice, however, if you want them to lay their eggs in their house, is to shut them in at night and not to let them out before 9.00 in the morning to make sure they have laid their eggs before they rush out. I've never done this however as my 2 wee call ducks kick up no end of a fuss if they are not let out when the chickens get up.