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Farming Friends Forum » Hens

1. Deanna88
   Member

   Hello! So about a month ago my hens shared a nest ( I know it was a bad idea but I learned from it) and hatched out 10 chicks! But sadly one day I went out to the grocery store and came back to all but 2 chicks dead! They wandered into the turkey run and they ate them! I had no clue that my turkeys would do that :(. But the two that survived are well and stay close to mum.

   Just a question . How can I get my ducks to go inside a shed after having them run free all summer ? I have stopped putting food down by the pond so they now come up but I have to chase them everywhere to catch them or gide them in the shed. Any ideas are welcome . Thank you :)

   Deanna88

   Posted 6 years ago #

2. Ghent
   Member

   Hi Deanna,

   I normally let my ducks out in the morning and put them up at night. So they have gotten in a routine of going up at night and that just walk in. If you heard them into the pen and get them in a routine then it will be much easier. They just need a routine to follow.

   George

   George

   Posted 6 years ago #

3. m40mo
   Administrator

   Hi Deanna, what a sad story about your chicks and what an awful end for them
   As to your ducks, here in the UK we all put our ducks away every night for their safety, starting it young is good as it then becomes second nature and many nights my ducks will make their own way back in,
   the best way for you to do it now is like you already are stop feeding them out doors make them realise the shed is where the food is, try not to get into a chase and catch situation as this will only scare them and make it an ordeal for you both, there are 2 ways you can now try to train them, one is, if they have a favourite treat you can try to get them to follow you into the shed with it, maybe like a paper chase of dropping a few bits behind you, the other and probably the best is if you can hurd them from behind, it may take a couple of you to do this just walking slowly behind them with your arms out stretched or you can do it alone holding out long sticks to herd them in the direction you want them to go, im sure it won't take long for them to realise what you expect of them, good luck with it x

   mo x

   Posted 6 years ago #

4. Mama
   Member

   That is heartbreaking on the chicks ,I did what Mo says led them in with treats but still had to do the walk in at first.I used a bamboo cane in my left hand and slowly walked them in .It doesn't take long for them to realise and once they do they will go in themselves quite happily and that's were the food is .Good luck Deanna ,Mama

   Goose Girl

   Posted 6 years ago #

5. MeDucks
   Member

   Tempt them in with dried mealworms. They will follow you in with no herding if they know you have [duck crack] in your hands. Ducks will turn somersaults for mealworms, and they will soon be coming to you to walk them in with thier favourite treats.

   Posted 6 years ago #

6. Deanna88
   Member

   MeDucks. That's an awesome idea thank you! :)

   Posted 6 years ago #

7. Deanna88
   Member

   They are a stubborn couple but I am working with them and they are slowly getting the point . Thank you .

   Posted 6 years ago #

8. dollydylo
   Member

   I put down some food for the ducks, which they eat while I check the hens are in their house! I then let them have a drink and walk them into their house.

   We have an old slide to their side of the house so they can't escape around the back as they are sort of cornered in. They are used to now eating, drinking (all in the same corner each night) and then me walking slowly towards them to coax them into their house. As others have said, this is the routine we use and they are used to it.

   glad yours are getting the point and hopefully it will get easier!

   Karen x

   Posted 6 years ago #

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