Muscovy ducks flying

kirstyhyde · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:38 am

Hi all I have just got myself 3 muscovy ducks, 2 females and a male. I spent most part of yesterday building them a great looking pen and was very excited to see that they approved with lots of flapping and wheezing, it has 1 baby bath in it so far and they all had a dip, it was wonderful. UNTIL......One girl started to flap her wings and then flew over the fence into our backyard, I walked out there to round her up but she took off again and flew back into her pen again. For the rest of the day she stayed in the pen with her mates and didn't bother to try again, which was good. I then let them out today again and after 5mins she was over the fence again but this time she didn't stop and flew straight out into our driveway, we live on a 45acre farm and our driveway is a fair distance with a main rd out the front. Whilst i was running out to get this girl back in the other girl flew out aswell into our backyard, ducks flying everywhere!!!!!
Now I know ducks fly of course but I cant have them fly here especially if they are going to fly so far. I have 2 snowdogs just out the back who can see the ducks in their enclosure and have already started to get agitated with them being in there, if the ducks fly toward the dog yard then they are dead. Do Muscovy ducks get too large to fly?, the male doesn't even try but my girls are a bit of a worry to me, they will be starting to lay eggs at the end of November early December if that gives anyone a clue to how old they are, I just got told when they were due to lay not their ages.
Should I mesh a roof for them? it will be rather hard for me to do myself as my partner is working all the time at the moment and has very little time to help around the house.
Can I trim their wings so they cant fly? Not sure on this one as I have never had any reason to do it before. I only have them for breeding and the fact that they are just lovely.
The fence around their pen is 4ft at the back and 5ft on the sides and front, the other fence she flew over out to our driveway is over 6ft. I can take some pictures if it would help, but I really need some advice as to what to do as I have had to lock them up in their cage for now and I feel horrible.
Thanks Kirsty

Stt · **Joined:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:01 pm **Posts:** 3006

The best way to keep them in is to trim one wing

b&p · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:19 pm

How old are they???

I live close (very close) to a few main roads and mussies are due sooon.

I was told once adult they would be to heavy to fly...or is this a myth????

kirstyhyde · **Posted:** Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:04 am

Well I have been reading up on everything muscovy and it says they are brilliant flyers, even the males. They start to lay eggs from 8-9mths old so I am presuming mine are around 7mths+.
So it looks like I will have to clip 1 wing on each duck, I have looked on sites that show you how to do it, but am a little paranoid I might hurt them. I might ask my neighbour who got them for me to clip them.
Anyway thanks for the help.

Nemo · **Joined:** Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:35 am **Posts:** 2

I was shocked to discover my muscovies could fly and quite well, they kept flying accross the road to a freinds house so I cliped a wing and it worked.

drayllor · **Joined:** Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:36 pm **Posts:** 85

Yes, the lighter birds can fly quite well even when older. I have never seen a drake fly yet, even lighter birds, although if close to wild-type birds they probably could. The heavier show type ducks usually can't get off the ground except maybe for a few feet when young. They do like to run & flap their wings.

If you have light birds that can fly simply clip the primary feathers of one wing only & they will be grounded.

Cheers

whitney · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:53 am **Posts:** 2

This topic totally suprised me as I had no idea muscovy's could fly I always believed they couln't fly at all. Goes to show you really do learn something new evey day especially on here

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Muscovys are actually geese they are called 'ducks' due to the duck like bill
and yes they do fly and some have been known to fly great distances

clip the feathers on one wing - leave the first outer 2 in tact then clip all that 'bend' that same way and 3 of the secondard flight feathers that 'bend' the other way

duckie · **Posted:** Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:30 pm

Yes I agree for you to clip one wing. There should be a sticky on the forum somewhere on how to do it.

I have mussies and have had so for 4 yrs. I haven't had trouble with them flying off, so maybe they like my place too much to bother :lol:

. Just remember they are like all animals who are uprooted from their home and relocated to another. They need time to adjust. They will settle in after clipping is done. Make sure it is one wing only.

Most mussies start laying at 5 to 7 months. Mine this time started at 4 1/2 months no joking. A smaller egg was produced but they got bigger in time.

Cheers and enjoy your birds, they all have their own characters. Mine are all named. :-D

Val (Duckie)

warmblood · **Posted:** Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:01 pm

My muscovy will fly out of her pen every morning and have some grass to eat and then she goes back in because she knows thats where all the kitchen scraps go. I dont mind her flying out as she will sometimes come on a horse ride with me around our arena. OUr pens are 10ft high, muscovies are very good flyers. If you have a look at their feet they have really long claws to perch in trees. My suggestion is to also clip a wing or put her somewhere where she cannot fly out.

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