Ducks swimming

[Fonselot]

Hi. Just a quick question.

Do ducks really swim in any body of water on any Farm map from the 1.5 update as it is stated in the wiki?

I play in the Forest farm (huge pond in the middle and 3 additional little ones) for several seasons since the update, and I have never seen my ducks swimming...

 

[Cptldsilver]

I've seen it happen once on the beach map. I had one duck for reference and it flew into the eastern ocean area, close to where my coop was.

Maybe you're coop is too far from the water? I have a feeling the duck will only swim if it happens to be next to the water.

 

[Lew Zealand]

I've only played on the Beach farm so far in v1.5 and while the Ducks end up in the water on the E side of the map because that's closest to my Coop, I believe I've seen them take a quick dip in the tiny internal lake E of the farmable plot, which suggests they could end up in any body of water on the Farm. I have 9 Ducks I think, so that increases the chances that one of 'em will get the urge to paddle around.

 

[Fonselot]

Maybe it is indeed a question of distance and number of ducks.

I just saw today a video by SharkyGames in the beach farm. He moved the greenhouse and placed a coop with 2 ducks and 2 ducklings in the little island where the greenhouse was located. In a couple of minutes all his ducks were swimming, probably because they had no space to do anything else.

I have my coop just next to my house, not so far from the main pond. I will try to move it a bit, and also get more ducks, because I only have two for now.

Thank you very much.

 

[mouse]

You also have to pet them before they'll swim :)

 

[Fonselot]

I pet all my animals every day.

Ok, I have built a new coop just for ducks one tile away from the pond. They just nap around the pond but never get into it...

 

[Fonselot]

Finally!

 

[icKyou1025]

They allegedly move left and right more often than up and down. If you want the ducks to go in the water try putting coop to the side of the water instead of above it.

 

[Silvara Dal'Winter]

saw my one duck swimming today... it was a little freaky as I use a reskin for my ducks so it was just sort of a grey stretched blob of it's self

 

[JGamerStardew]

Saw this and had to pull up the chats and see if anybody else knows about it! Can’t believe I am just learning this now I love this game

 

[Maher]

I think you need the coopmaster profession too.

 

[PerfectionWhaleFarm]

View attachment 27092 Saw this and had to pull up the chats and see if anybody else knows about it! Can’t believe I am just learning this now I love this game

You have officially convinced me to start a Meadowlands farm lol - that is INCREDIBLY cute. I really wish I can have my own fish flopping and swimming around too outside of Fish Ponds or Fish Tanks, that would be sooo pretty

I think you need the coopmaster profession too.

The only condition for them swimming is to just pet them. I imagine that makes sense from a game play perspective - imagine you wanting to pet all your animals, but then your ducks just decide to chill in the water forever, rendering the petting forever impossible for that day.

 

[evergreen oak]

Do they have to be at full friendship? Mine won't swim in their little fenced area of the standard farm

 

[PerfectionWhaleFarm]

Do they have to be at full friendship? Mine won't swim in their little fenced area of the standard farm

Nah my tiny ducks that I bought the day of can swim as well. I don't know how yours is positioned, but mine swims there often (when I pet them).

 

[MogBeoulve]

Nah my tiny ducks that I bought the day of can swim as well. I don't know how yours is positioned, but mine swims there often (when I pet them).
View attachment 27093

No fresh grass for your animals?!

 

[REtroGeekery]

I've played Hilltop, Wilderness, Beach, Meadowlands, and Riverlands and seen ducks swim on each.

 

[Ereo]

Do they have to be at full friendship? Mine won't swim in their little fenced area of the standard farm

I’ve seen a Reddit post once where someone claimed that they don’t swim in some of the ponds, but I’ve no idea if that is true.

 

[evergreen oak]

I’ve seen a Reddit post once where someone claimed that they don’t swim in some of the ponds, but I’ve no idea if that is true.

Well I can confirm that after a year in game they still don't want to swim in the little pond on the rightmost side of the standard farm, hah

 

[FilthyGorilla]

The only condition for them swimming is to just pet them. I imagine that makes sense from a game play perspective - imagine you wanting to pet all your animals, but then your ducks just decide to chill in the water forever, rendering the petting forever impossible for that day.

There are also some restrictions that are sometimes abritrary, some tiles (and water bodies entirely) can't be entered.

Like the big pond on the main farm can only be entered from the bottom for some reason (or at least did function like such in 1.5)

Info on specifics is rather limited too

 

[HaleyRocks]

The person who said "Maybe you need the coopmaster", is wrong. It has nothing to do with professions.

Ducks swim, whenever they happen to wander next to bodies of water.

For me, it happened rarely, like 2 times, across 2 saves, one with true perfection and one with perfection (community only).

What helps, is fences around the coop and in such a placement, that the path available leads to water. Just because water is nearby, doesn't mean your duck(s) will prefer it, over walking on foot and strutting around... You have to manipulate their movement, in the form of space available to them, in order to maximize their chances of ultimately going for a swim and finding their way to the water. I am certain about it, because my duck became adult, before the preexisting meadowlands fences collapsed and i never again made any, because i have lots of animals (and like them having freedom).