Female Mallard Escaping

[TheDuckieLover]

Hey

I've been having some trouble lately with my duck escaping. My Female Mallard (Jessica age 11 months) has been flying over the fence more times in the past 2 days than in the past month. She flew over 4 times on Monday (3/10/2022) and on one of those occasions, she went across the road and was found in a neighbor's driveway. On Tuesday (3/10/2022) she escaped three times although the furthest she went was under the next-door-neighbors gate. I also noticed that she has be quacking a lot more lately; especially on her escapades she calls out quite loudly so I thought it might be related to the fact it's breeding season.
Please give me some advice if you have any because she is currently living in her coop and isn't all that happy about it.

Thank you so much!

 

[casportpony]

May I suggest clipping her wings?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Agree clip her wings. Wing clipping if done correctly on a domesticated duck is safe and there is no pain. It feels no different to them than having your hair or toenails clipped.

 

[TheDuckieLover]

We clipped her wings earlier this year and that stopped her from circling our house, but she can still fly over something lower than a meter. Lets just say our fencing situation could use some work . . .

 

[casportpony]

We clipped her wings earlier this year and that stopped her from circling our house, but she can still fly over something lower than a meter. Lets just say our fencing situation could use some work . . .

Have her flight feathers grown back? Clipped properly, she shouldn't be able to fly.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Any way of setting up some sort of barrier around the coop? So she can get some outdoor time without getting away.

I agree with Casportpony, the feathers may have grown back if she's actually able to catch air. Or clipped to long.

 

[TheDuckieLover]

Have her flight feathers grown back? Clipped properly, she shouldn't be able to fly.

I can still see the straight edge of her wings from where we clipped them, so I'm guessing not. . . She still has enough ability to flap and land from my arms or to get over a short (approximately 40cm) fence; we should probably just get a higher fence. It's spring time in New Zealand and she's started doing it a lot, so I'm curious about weather it has something to do with mating as there are no other males in her pen.

 

[Canadian Wind]

40cm is a bit short, yes. It should be at least 120cm.

And she will probably be going through her spring moult soon, too. Wish it was spring here...

 

[ruthhope]

Hey

I've been having some trouble lately with my duck escaping. My Female Mallard (Jessica age 11 months) has been flying over the fence more times in the past 2 days than in the past month. She flew over 4 times on Monday (3/10/2022) and on one of those occasions, she went across the road and was found in a neighbor's driveway. On Tuesday (3/10/2022) she escaped three times although the furthest she went was under the next-door-neighbors gate. I also noticed that she has be quacking a lot more lately; especially on her escapades she calls out quite loudly so I thought it might be related to the fact it's breeding season.
Please give me some advice if you have any because she is currently living in her coop and isn't all that happy about it.

Thank you so much!

We clipped her wings earlier this year and that stopped her from circling our house, but she can still fly over something lower than a meter. Lets just say our fencing situation could use some work . . .

My muscovy female had to have her wings clipped by a professional, as she could fly. Within a few days, she managed to fly up onto the lower branch of a tree about 6 ft off the ground: my side gates are 4ft. The man who clipped her had taught me how to do it, and so a friend held her and I trimmed another inch off her flight feathers. That was then enough to stop the wandering. You might just want to trim another inch of your mallard's flight feathers . As long as you do not cut where there is blood supply, it doesn't hurt!

 

[TheDuckieLover]

My muscovy female had to have her wings clipped by a professional, as she could fly. Within a few days, she managed to fly up onto the lower branch of a tree about 6 ft off the ground: my side gates are 4ft. The man who clipped her had taught me how to do it, and so a friend held her and I trimmed another inch off her flight feathers. That was then enough to stop the wandering. You might just want to trim another inch of your mallard's flight feathers . As long as you do not cut where there is blood supply, it doesn't hurt!

Ok, thanks for the advice!