[Kathie]

Is it fair to put ducklings away at night?

We have 4 four month old call ducks and have been putting them away a night for safety.  But now it's getting dark earlier should we put some water and food in with them as they are in a lot longer now. 
At the moment we put them away just before it is really dark and let them out around 6.45 am, is this wrong. 
We haven't seen any foxes for a while but there are a lot around here.  I know the ducks are safe on the pond but left out I know they will roam around about a third of an acre and will be easy prey for any preditor.  I am in a real quandry about this.  Any advice is welcome.
Thanks in advance.

[Springlands]

Kathie - we have exactly the same problem. As soon as it gets dusk the hens put them selves to bed in the hen house but the ducks would splash about or wander about all night unless both OH and I herd them into their enclosure but we still feel that it is better to do so because we also have foxes in the area and better safe than sorry.

It is not stopping them from laying eggs - we get three each day now that they have started laying.

[Kathie]

Thanks Springlands, we don't have a fox proof enclosure so they are put into their house. Would you recommend we put food and water in with them now they are away for so long?

[Springlands]

Kathie - we do not put food or water into the hen house or the ducks enclosure overnight - there is a danger that it can attract vermin.

The only time we ever put food into the hen house was last December during the bad snow when the hens absolutely refused to come out of their house (cannot say that I blame them).    We did not have the ducks then but I think they would be more adventurous.

[orchardlady]

I agree with all advice given. We have three Khaki Cambells and they would happily play out in the moonlight until goodness knows what time and so be very vulnerable to predators. I tend not to let them out too early just to make sure they lay in their house. So at the moment (September) it's not until about 7.30am. Using a torch to heard them seems to work well. They do not want the beam of light to touch them and so move away from it.

Orchardlady.

[Kathie]

Thanks again Springlands and Orchardlady,  we haven't put food or drink in with them for same reasons.  I just feel so mean putting them away for so many hours now, but thanks to your advice I will try and think about their safety and I must admit they don't seem any worse for their extra hours in bed.  As I said they are 4 months old and have not started to lay yet, we will expect that next year.
Thanks again