Dumped Muscovies

[BelovedBirds]

Okay, please do correct me if I'm wrong, but muscovies are not a native species to the UK, right?
This is the strong impression I've gotten from Google.

So there are 4 muscovy drakes at my local lake, one of which especially concerns me. Is this angel wing?

They are quite friendly, they ate from my hands without hesitation and seemed very hungry.
They are new arrivals here, as of this summer. I'm 99% certain they must be dumped.


I'd like to help them, or at least help the poor boy with his wing issue, perhaps I can persuade my family to let me bring two of the boys home and find them help.
But this is unlikely so I might post online and try to get them help this way.

Please send your thoughts and knowledge, I can't stop thinking about these sweet boys

 

[BelovedBirds]

I'm thinking that I won't be allowed to bring them home, based on my parents initial indifferent reaction... but I will try to persuade them.
Can't stop thinking about these sweet boys, I think they could make wonderful pets for some lucky person, they were all so tame. Although unfortunately the boy with the wing injury, who I have named Ollie for easy reference, is the least confident of the bunch.

If I can't persuade my folks to let me get him, or any of them, I'll be sure to make an online advert/Facebook post and hopefully I can find someone to help.

I'll be heading down to the lake very soon with some more food for them, hopefully they can fill up on proper food before the locals start offering bread and other junk.

 

[BelovedBirds]

This makes me so angry!!! I really don't know why people would just dump animals. GRRRR!!!!!

They're quiet, just sneak them in. Your girls might not approve though... OR, you'll get some mule babies!

Let us know how it goes.

Will do!
Oh believe me, I've considered at least grabbing "Ollie" and just sneaking him home.
Ask for forgiveness, not permission, is my motto

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are not native they have been dumped. Poor things. Any rescues around your area?

I am thinking the wing could be an injury since most of the wing is laying normally. The feathers sticking out might could be trimmed.

I hate it so bad when ducks are dumped and most of the time it's drakes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since it looks like most of his wing is in good shape he may be able to still fly. Hard to say.

His wing feathers are looking pretty ratty so he maybe getting ready to molt it's getting close to that time of year when my Muscovy begin.

They really need to go to a good home where they can be fed and kept safe.

 

[ruthhope]

As in the USA, the UK now has feral populations of muscovy. Some were decimated by avian 'flu last year -- both directly by infection, and indirectly by the Min of Agriculture culling infected groups of muscovy.

Here in Forida, feral muscovy do get quite tame walking round neighborhoods and begging for food. Some eat out of the hands of people who regularly feed them. That said I do believe that yours are dumped. It would be kindest to capture them and find them new homes. If you take any home, they will need to be isolated from your own ducks for 28 days

I hope you are successful rescuing and rehoming these muscovy. Sending cyber hugs and good wishes

 

[BelovedBirds]

They are not native they have been dumped. Poor things. Any rescues around your area?

I am thinking the wing could be an injury since most of the wing is laying normally. The feathers sticking out might could be trimmed.

I hate it so bad when ducks are dumped and most of the time it's drakes.

Yeah this is what I figured, I'm going to talk to my family but at absolute most I'd be able to take 2, probably not even that.
I will reach out to some people around here but last time I tried that for the poor dumped pekin, no one would help.

I'll do my best and keep feeding them.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Are ducks not able to live happily ever after as lake residents?

Depends on where. But they were bred to be taken care of and a lot aren't good foragers. Somewhere that has cold winters is worse, as they can't find food.

It's cruel to take an animal that was raised as livestock or a pet and just dump them, period.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Are ducks not able to live happily ever after as lake residents?

Usually no, muscovies may fair a little better due to flight, less egg production, etc etc. But they're still raised to depend on humans, they're still our responsibility, it's still invasive and harmful to the environment and native species, etc etc.
As for mallard derived ducks, like pekins, campbells and so forth, they usually don't last the winter due to predators and nutrition issues.

I wasn't as worried for these boys until I saw the guy that has a messed up wing. Even without that I knew they likely wouldn't survive that long, but now I'm very concerned about him especially surviving though winter. I definitely want to try and get them safe.

 

[BelovedBirds]

As in the USA, the UK now has feral populations of muscovy. Some were decimated by avian 'flu last year -- both directly by infection, and indirectly by the Min of Agriculture culling infected groups of muscovy.

Here in Forida, feral muscovy do get quite tame walking round neighborhoods and begging for food. Some eat out of the hands of people who regularly feed them. That said I do believe that yours are dumped. It would be kindest to capture them and find them new homes. If you take any home, they will need to be isolated from your own ducks for 28 days

I hope you are successful rescuing and rehoming these muscovy. Sending cyber hugs and good wishes

I first considered that they may be escapees, or descendants of escapees, but I definitely think they're dumped after everything is considered. They appeared pretty recently, they're super tame and based on the condition of the one boy, he may not even be able to fly. So he must have been dumped, if that is the case.

I watched them for quite a while today, they followed me about for the food, filled their crops and one allowed me to stroke his back briefly. The one with the damaged wing seemed to attempt to fly but couldn't really get off the ground properly, that or he gave up very easily. I've seen my girls get higher than that, I don't think he can fly.

I'll keep everything updated, if by any chance I'm able to take any of them, I'll be very careful with my girls. Bird flu is one of my concerns, I'd keep them a good distance away, quarantine, and hopefully they're in good health. This lake is full of geese and becomes a bird flu hot spot. At the moment cases have hugely dropped, but if they come close again these boys could easily get sick/culled.
Another reason why I'd really like to get them into safety.