Backyard Poultry Forum

My two Muscovy ladies have decided that tonight they are staying in the dam - I took them down at 10 this morning and they have been swimming all day - it has been 37’C (99F) and the drake and the other half nester (girl that likes to Visit the birdcage nest) came back up at dusk but I have checked five times since - & it’s now 11pm and the two girls are in the water solidly together in the middle of the dam- short of a swim I can’t get them in their pen.


One stressed duck mumma

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Married 2 my best friend,Mumma to 2 DD's,sheep,a milking goat,2 pigs,Aylsbry ducks,pilgrim geese,Lombard roo &8 lovely hens,4 turkeys(there were 5 but hey it was Christmas!)
stop by my blog http://www.crysalismum.blogspot.com I'll put the kettle on!

I hope all is well this morning.

It might be good to start a practice of giving them a treat when they come back into their pen. I give my ducks peas out of a red enamel jug. I call them using the same words (I just say ‘come on, come on’). When they hear the words and see the jug they know they’re going to get a treat that they love, in their pen. They come running for it. So I’d start doing something similar with your ducks, beginning up near their pen where there are few distractions. Use a treat they really love. Basically you a training a recall, like with a dog. Don’t let them near the dam again until you are confident that you’ve trained a good enough recall with a fast and enthusiastic response.

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

I do the same - mine come running for the white bucket (or for any thing else which might be a white bucket) and "took, took, duck, duck, goose, goose". Once i have got them into the general area they also follow when I call the breed names and go into the right pens for some grain (or whatever) - it's a process of positive reinforcement.
But how to get them off the dam in the first place???? Good luck

My lot come up from the dam for food every night, but occasionally you get one that decides for some unknown reason to stay on the dam.

That's when one of these comes in handy

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John

Nice dam

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

Yes that's a pretty spot Squeaker.

Persevere crysalismum. I lost a few Muscovies and a goose a month ago because I couldn't get them off the dam to lock up. Foxes don't miss a thing of what is where.

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PC

My ducks sometimes refuse to come off the dam in the evening. I think it may be because they have been spooked by a fox.
My remedy is a 20 litre drum on a rope tossed in their direction to scare them which works better than walking around the dam in circles waving my arms and yelling at them.

The waving arms and walking in circles around the dam was me —they all are safe and we have begun intense pea and grain training - it was sooo hot here today got to 46’c (115F) so I let them back to the dam but all had come back to their own before I came out to call them

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Married 2 my best friend,Mumma to 2 DD's,sheep,a milking goat,2 pigs,Aylsbry ducks,pilgrim geese,Lombard roo &8 lovely hens,4 turkeys(there were 5 but hey it was Christmas!)
stop by my blog http://www.crysalismum.blogspot.com I'll put the kettle on!

Good work on the training Glad they are all safe and sound.

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks