I have to catch 7 pekin ducks that have been living on our city reseroir and move them to a private pond because our city is going to ban waterfowl feeding.Neighbors are animal haters and got the wildlife people involed. Their ideas are to kill everything. So the problem is how to catch them. The reseoir is vary large.No boats allowed.They will come close for food but stay just far enough away that its hard to get a net on them.I need Red Green to figure this one out!

-- JB (JBakerBosco@cs.com), February 27, 2002

Answers

I mean RESERVOIR. My V on the keyboard is messed up! Anyway i need your help! JB

-- JB (JBakerBosco@cs.com), February 27, 2002.

I haven't had Pekins for years, but I expect they run as fast as any other duck. You'll need either a lot of people to keep them away from the water after you get them up in the field, or else you need a corral arrangement of some kind that you can entice them into and then close up and catch at your leisure inside the pen. I'd go for the pen if at all possible, to keep scaring them to a minimum. Ducks are the pits to catch, though. They have an absolute genius for splitting the flock so while you chase down one end of the line, the other end is making a beeline for the water . . . Good luck with them.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), February 27, 2002.

I agree with the pen idea. If the ducks can fly, you'll need netting on top of it. If you can use some temporary posts you can support the wire or netting. I'v been able to lead ducks into a pen using a trail of cat food. You may have to put the pen up for awhile so the ducks get used to it.

Dry cat food works best for me. Our ducks steal the food out of the cats' bowls. Once you catch them before you release them clip the feathers on one wing so they can't immediately fly.

Good luck.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), February 27, 2002.

I would try the pen idea but start by feeding them in it with you standing close by. When they get comfortable enough to eat with you nearby, hurry and close the gate on them. One of those portable chain link dog kennels will work well for that type of thing. Good luck!

-- Trisha-MN (coldguinea@netscape.net), February 27, 2002.

get them close,, and throw a net over them

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 27, 2002.

You can rig up a pen with one side open and feed them in there a few days without closing it and once they get comfortable going in there, close it. Or a better idea, get someone with a trained border collie to round them up once they are on land and herd them into a pen.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), February 27, 2002.

Yellow nylon rope. My ducks seem to equate this with 'snake' and they walk away from it. If you can find a way to get the rope from one shore to another (I know the reservoir is big) behind the ducks, one person on each end, then just 'walk' them ashore. This is how I finally saved my Roen's from the fox and got them inside for the winter.

-- Bernie from Northern Ontario (bernadette_kerr@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

Thanks all for your help! i will let you all know how this duck tail ends!

-- JB (JBakerBosco@cs.com), February 27, 2002.

JB, try Cattle or Pig Panels. Portable, easy to put up and take down. Pekins usually cannot fly, they are one of the largest of the true ducks. As mentioned above it will take some patience to get them to trust the pen, but with goodies every day they should go in after awhile. Try different things for treats. The above mentioned cat food, sunflower seeds, corn etc. Hope you will let us know how it goes. Any chance of being able to get to where they sleep? Usually, ducks will sleep on land, not on the water and I would guess they have a place they deem safe. Just a thought. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 27, 2002.

My Border Collie would bring them all to you. How about spiked grain way up on the shore, get them a little tipsy. Remember that guy's letter in Countryside about catching his wild chickens, he got them drunk and just picked them up!

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), February 27, 2002.

The post about yellow rope reminded me about a laser pointer. Our geese seem to think that red dot of light is something fiendish.

I don't recall where I heard about it but I can herd them anywhere at night with it.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), February 28, 2002.

JB, I had to catch up a mixed flock of ducks and geese every year at a petting farm where I used to work. The ponds they were in were right next to a busy road, so I had to be very cautious about getting them in a tizzy. The best way I found to catch them up takes a little time, but works like a charm. I would feed them bread daily on the shore at the same time each day(preferably at about dusk). I would NOT try to catch them at first. I would try to get them eating in an area at least 30 feet from shore. Once they are eating daily in the area and time of my choosing, the ducks/geese would start anticipating feeding time and would be waiting for me on shore. Once this happened, I would simply start feeding, work my way behind them, and slowly drive them up away from the ponds. I would drive them up to a barn that was about 1/10 mile away. It was quite a hike for those little legs, but we would get there eventually. Pekin ducks do not generally fly and most of the bird I worked with would rather walk or swim than fly. I even used this technique successfully with indian runners, muscovies, and khaki campbells (all of which, I can assure your from my learning curve, can fly quite adequately). A very important thing about herding ducks is not to rush them. You have to herd them by pushing on their personal space without panicking them. If you can present a viable plan to your local law enforcment or fish and game people or whoever is in charge, maybe they will let you have a little extra time to catch up the ducks. Also, if you make it clear to other folks that are rooting for the ducks that you need to be the only one feeding them for now, that would help a great deal. You may want to check with other folks first anyway...it's possible that the ducks already feed somewhere else on the reservoir in this manner which would make catching them MUCH easier. Good luck to you.

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), March 01, 2002.