adapting ducks to stream and back to shelter

[shawnasue]

How do I get our ducks to adjust to their new surroundings, the stream, and if they are not used to us...to come back to their shelter?

We just purchased five ducks (2 Peking and 3 Cuyuga)that are about 8 months old. They weren't used to being handled from the time they were little like our chickens are. Two ducks are females (already laying)and three are males. Their previous owners said they put themselves in their shelter on their own at night and they just shut the door.

The first night with us,they had to spend with our chickens while we finished their shelter.

Now they have spent two nights in their duck shelter, which is predator proof when we close the door. There is not a pen around the shelter, because we hope to have them free range, just as our chickens do, but hopefully in the area near the marsh and stream. We need to get them out to be free as soon as possible...yet get them to come back.

We hope to have them free range during the day and play in the water and then go back into their shelter at night...feed them in the a.m and p.m.

Their shelter is about 150'feet from a stream and 25' from the marshy area leading up to the stream (although we did cut a 4' wide path leading from the meadow to the stream). They have to go down a bit of a hill with tall grass (should we also cut that grass?)...not too steep to get to the path. We didn't want them right at the end of the path, because we felt it was too close to the house, and we didn't want duck poop all over our back patio.

My questions are:

1) How do I lead them to the marsh and stream if they are afraid of us?
2) How do I get them back to their duck shelter?
3) Are they afraid of tall grass?
4) Are they capable of swimming upstream?
5) What is the likelihood of them just swimming away?
6) How do we get the ducks to bond to us the way our free-ranging chickens have bonded, which we got as chicks?
7) Will I need to build a temporary pen around the shelter to provide a transition time...or can I go straight to free range and get them to come back?

Any other questions or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shawna

 

[foxy]

The first thing I noticed is that the drake to duck ration is a bit high, come spring you may find the ducks becoming harassed by the drakes, which can be very stressful for your ducks.

Regarding getting used to a new environment, I think a temporary pen might be a good idea, so they get used to their new house, the pop hole etc..before opening it up to free range.

There are a few other duck keepers and I am sure they will be along to advise!

 

[daniellesdogs]

bread is always a good bribe for ducks, mine would prob roll over and play dead if i asked it of them for a bit of bread
mine only freerange the garden and go to bed were ever they fill at the mo have 4 chocies till i can get to finsh the garden

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Hiya

hope this helps... I had the same thing with some new ones that were very shy.

1) How do I lead them to the marsh and stream if they are afraid of us?
Get the accustomed to you first. Go in every day at least twice a day with something they love. Try tomatoes or peas. After a couple of weeks they will trust you and associate you with treats. Use the same treat in the same bowl and whistle a simple tune when they are eating them.
2) How do I get them back to their duck shelter?
Once you have completed stage one, you can use the bowl and the whistle to get them to follow you back. Make sure they are ready to follow (fully trained) before you let them out.
3) Are they afraid of tall grass?
In my experience dicks are neophobic, they are frightened of anything new, no matter how good it is. So you will need to gradually show them their new area bit by bit, at first they will be wary to wander outside of their pen, I found a little trail of treats day by day gave them confidence, but don't expect them to waddle on out first day, the wont. Trick is be patient. It may take a month or so.
4) Are they capable of swimming upstream?
yes
5) What is the likelihood of them just swimming away?
not likely
6) How do we get the ducks to bond to us the way our free-ranging chickens have bonded, which we got as chicks?
you cannot, this process is done at a critical period when they are first hatched, you can train them using the method stated in point one, but they will never fully trust you or let you touch them/hold them. they will eventually feed from your hand though and hopefully be bribed with treats.
7) Will I need to build a temporary pen around the shelter to provide a transition time...or can I go straight to free range and get them to come back?
Yes, 100% yes.

Good luck!!!!

 

[foxy]

Errr.....Dorsetduckowner...you might want to have another look at answer 3).. 07 07

Think you are probably right though! 08

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Ha ha ha ha. Actually I think that is probably false!!!!