Ducks put themselves to bed?

[Allilang]

I get up at 4 am, so I usually put the quack pack to bed before it gets dark. Today I went out after dark and all the ducks were already in their coop. I was always told this was never going to happen with ducks and was going to let them sleep where they want once my guard geese grow up and I'm more confident in the fencers ability to keep out predators.

Will continuing to put them to bed make them keep up the habit on their own?

 

[Maddcatter]

I get up at 4 am, so I usually put the quack pack to bed before it gets dark. Today I went out after dark and all the ducks were already in their coop. I was always told this was never going to happen with ducks and was going to let them sleep where they want once my guard geese grow up and I'm more confident in the fencers ability to keep out predators.

Will continuing to put them to bed make them keep up the habit on their own?

Yes. (In short)

My ducks have been trained to go to bed in the chicken run/coop. (Depending on time of year). They occasionally decide to get a little fiesty about it. (Like right now, because there's a giant moth bloom that just happened)... But for the most part, when night time hits, they go to the chicken run and eventually end up in the chicken coop.

 

[Awaytome]

My ducks also go to the pen on their own on the occasions I am late coming out. If one resists going in, I start looking for a nest hidden somewhere in the yard.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I get up at 4 am, so I usually put the quack pack to bed before it gets dark. Today I went out after dark and all the ducks were already in their coop. I was always told this was never going to happen with ducks and was going to let them sleep where they want once my guard geese grow up and I'm more confident in the fencers ability to keep out predators.

Will continuing to put them to bed make them keep up the habit on their own?

@Allilang what do you expect your guard geese to do? They may sound an alarm they may not geese really have no way to protect themselves from predators with teeth. They are mainly bluff.

 

[Allilang]

@Allilang what do you expect your guard geese to do? They may sound an alarm they may not geese really have no way to protect themselves from predators with teeth. They are mainly bluff.

They are big, loud and may make a stupid raccoon think twice or get me outside in time with the shotgun.

 

[Alayna734]

Yes. (In short)

My ducks have been trained to go to bed in the chicken run/coop. (Depending on time of year). They occasionally decide to get a little fiesty about it. (Like right now, because there's a giant moth bloom that just happened)... But for the most part, when night time hits, they go to the chicken run and eventually end up in the chicken coop.

Lol yes they refuse to go to bed right now until it’s almost totally dark out. They run around like little toddlers

 

[DukesDucks]

My ducks will go into their coop if I am late going out. But whether I shoo them in, or they go themselves, I need to close the coop door to keep them safe from night predators.

 

[A little Daffy]

I get up at 4 am, so I usually put the quack pack to bed before it gets dark. Today I went out after dark and all the ducks were already in their coop. I was always told this was never going to happen with ducks and was going to let them sleep where they want once my guard geese grow up and I'm more confident in the fencers ability to keep out predators.

Will continuing to put them to bed make them keep up the habit on their own?

My 6 week old Muscovies did the same thing. I showed them how to get up the ramp into the coop and after that they went on their own. Sometimes they just hang out in there. Maybe they are trying to catch the flys.

 

[HeritageFan]

Our ducks and turkeys all go into their respective coops right about dusk.

The ducks get a bit sassy if it’s been a busy day and we need to shoo them out to clean later than usual, lol - but they all come right back in if that’s the situation...

We feed in all coops, water for the ducks and breeding turkeys also in coops. The bachelor turkeys only have food in their coop, water is outside. The turkeys are out much earlier in the day, and the bachelors are a bit more rowdy overnight/ inclined to overturn even a full 5 gal waterer....
so. They lost their privilege lol

But everyone knows that their coops are their night time safe places

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I think ducks who sleep with chickens may be more easily coop trained, by following the chickens. My ducks when we ranged them sometimes went into their hut on their own, or more or less, but often would hide underneath it, or not want to get out of a nearby pond. That was how we lost our drake. They didn't want to get out of the pond, and I had to go out my kids to bed, hoping they would decide on their own to put themselves in - which they sometimes would. But by the time I got back out there, a mink had already gotten my drake, and the three girls were still just sitting huddled together in the water.

Personally, I would want to be more vigilant about coop training them if I ever were to let them range again, rather than relying on instinct. Their instinct, I have found, wants to put themselves to bed later than chickens, which might be too late, and not necessarily in their coop, which might not be as secure as they think.