Bird Wrangling

[Hickory_Hills]

I love my Ducks. They’re 11 weeks old. Each night has been a goat rodeo, getting them back in their house from the run. I don’t like picking them up, because I worry I will hurt their wings. I pick them up gently, covering their wings; but I can feel them trying to lift them…. Any suggestions to get them inside at night???

 

[RadEggs]

Offer treats. I have mine trained to come when I yell "GIRLS!"
Of course they get treats when they follow directions. ( which is most of the time.)

 

[aart]

Are they actual ducks....or goats...or chickens?

 

[Hickory_Hills]

T

Offer treats. I have mine trained to come when I yell "GIRLS!"
Of course they get treats when they follow directions. ( which is most of the time.)

Thanks!!

 

[Hickory_Hills]

Are they actual ducks....or goats...or chickens?

They’re ducks. Swedish Blues

 

[ruthhope]

My boys and my son's 4 females and one drake, are now in the habit of hanging around the garden side gate when it gets close to bed time. For my drakes, that also means that they are hanging round near their coop. Except for one, that is, who remains sitting behind the shed on the compost pile!!! I have to go and get him. but once dislodged from his perch, he goes straight over to the coop which by that time is closed so that the others can't get out and have me on a song and dance. He waits by the door until I get there [I have to walk back the long route round the shed, whereas he flies down and is already halfway to the coop] and goes in when I open the door.

We get the ducks into their coops by feeding them in their coops. This works out successfully for us as squirrels and rats don't get into the coops that are both surrounded by 1/2 inch hardware cloth. So, when I come in through the garden gate with a jug full of pellets and a measure of mealworms, the ducks are straight in to the coop.

But I think, @Hickory_Hills, you should get over your nervousness about picking up your ducks. I pick up the muscovy drake that sits atop the compost pile every evening once he is inside the coop as he sleeps on top of a dog crate in there. He is quite capable of getting up there on his own, but there is a tendency for a drake squabble with one of the other drakes before he gets up to his roost under his own steam. As there is a bowl of food and two water tubs inside the coop, drake squabbles inevitably end up turning over the food bowl and water tubs. It's less messy and easier all round if I pick the boy up and put him on his roost!

There are other times ducks need to be picked up -- if they need their feet examining or their eyes treated, or they need oral medicines. It's much easier if they have been handled before and know they will survive, and if the duck owner is not nervous about picking the duck up.

I have had my boy that I regularly pick up for 18 months. He has never been a cuddly boy, but over the last few months while I have been picking him up and depositing him safely on his roost, he has come to accept petting behind his neck and on his chest. My really cuddly boy who I can pick up all I want as he wants the attention, allows me to put my hands between his wings and body. I don't try that trick on the other drakes!

I found when I needed to pick up a pekin drake several times a day for medication and physiotherapy, he didn't really mind how he was picked up. But muscovy are twice as big and heavy and it's important to pick them up low down their body, close to their pelvis, with hands on both sides of their body, so as not to make them uncomfortable.

 

[KathiQuacks]

I don’t like picking them up, because I worry I will hurt their wings. I pick them up gently, covering their wings; but I can feel them trying to lift them….

Fingers under their belly and thumbs over their wings. If that’s how you hold them, you need not worry. Their wings will be just fine.

Any suggestions to get them inside at night???

You could get them to come for food, like suggested; mine have learned the words “food” and “treat.” You could also create a funnel-shaped fence leading towards the coop door. Much easier to guide them in that way.

 

[Hickory_Hills]

My boys and my son's 4 females and one drake, are now in the habit of hanging around the garden side gate when it gets close to bed time. For my drakes, that also means that they are hanging round near their coop. Except for one, that is, who remains sitting behind the shed on the compost pile!!! I have to go and get him. but once dislodged from his perch, he goes straight over to the coop which by that time is closed so that the others can't get out and have me on a song and dance. He waits by the door until I get there [I have to walk back the long route round the shed, whereas he flies down and is already halfway to the coop] and goes in when I open the door.

We get the ducks into their coops by feeding them in their coops. This works out successfully for us as squirrels and rats don't get into the coops that are both surrounded by 1/2 inch hardware cloth. So, when I come in through the garden gate with a jug full of pellets and a measure of mealworms, the ducks are straight in to the coop.

But I think, @Hickory_Hills, you should get over your nervousness about picking up your ducks. I pick up the muscovy drake that sits atop the compost pile every evening once he is inside the coop as he sleeps on top of a dog crate in there. He is quite capable of getting up there on his own, but there is a tendency for a drake squabble with one of the other drakes before he gets up to his roost under his own steam. As there is a bowl of food and two water tubs inside the coop, drake squabbles inevitably end up turning over the food bowl and water tubs. It's less messy and easier all round if I pick the boy up and put him on his roost!

There are other times ducks need to be picked up -- if they need their feet examining or their eyes treated, or they need oral medicines. It's much easier if they have been handled before and know they will survive, and if the duck owner is not nervous about picking the duck up.

I have had my boy that I regularly pick up for 18 months. He has never been a cuddly boy, but over the last few months while I have been picking him up and depositing him safely on his roost, he has come to accept petting behind his neck and on his chest. My really cuddly boy who I can pick up all I want as he wants the attention, allows me to put my hands between his wings and body. I don't try that trick on the other drakes!

I found when I needed to pick up a pekin drake several times a day for medication and physiotherapy, he didn't really mind how he was picked up. But muscovy are twice as big and heavy and it's important to pick them up low down their body, close to their pelvis, with hands on both sides of their body, so as not to make them uncomfortable.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your words. I feel a lot better!!

 

[Hickory_Hills]

Th

Fingers under their belly and thumbs over their wings. If that’s how you hold them, you need not worry. Their wings will be just fine.

You could get them to come for food, like suggested; mine have learned the words “food” and “treat.” You could also create a funnel-shaped fence leading towards the coop door. Much easier to guide them in that way.

Thanks for the advice!!!!