How long until she learns this is home?

[TheDuckCrew]

As of tomorrow, Toby and Pepper will have been locked in the house and pen for a week. Pepper seems to be settling in nicely. She doesn't freak as much when i go into their house to give them more food and water and give them some fresh hay. In the morning when I go out and open up the pen to them she follows Toby right out and still freaks when she sees me and normally runs back into the house. Toby follows her then brings her back out. They'll walk around and drink and then Pepper normally climbs up on the bags of leaves inside and looks around from a higher vantage point. Its really quite comical. Toby just looks at her like "I can't get my fat butt up there!!" I want to let them out, but I don't want her flying away again and I want to make sure they come home at night. How much longer do you think they should stay in there? And if i was to clip her wings, how would i catch her and how would it be done? thanks!

 

[1lpoock]

I would let them out but clip her wings first. To do that just spread one wing and cut the outermost (primary) flight feathers off...I think there is like 8 or 9 of them.

 

[1lpoock]

http://www.cornerstonefarm.net/graphics/wingclip2.jpg here is a good visual for you.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

thanks! i was just looking at that website. it said cayugas cant fly, which is what people were guessing she is, but she can definitely fly!

 

[1lpoock]

There was someone on the board a couple months back that had a duck that looked just like yours...I think its name was racer or something....everyone had conflicting guesses of what it was, cayuga or BEI or a cross between the two because it could fly, but was a bit bigger....heck maybe you have that duck! I'll try to find the thread.

 

[1lpoock]

Found it.... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=238533&p=1
Seeing that you live in Connecticut and this guy lives in Georgia, I doubt you have the same duck

 

[TheDuckCrew]

weird! that sounds just like my Pepper! she is quite skinny and she was pretty scared when she flew, so maybe it was the lack of weight and fright that made her take flight! she looks to be plumping up some and she's been eating a tonnnn. i haven't gone through so much duck food in a week in who knows how long! its like ive got 4 hungry ducks in there! i might try to catch her and clip her wings just in case. i'll probably try it saturday when my dad is home. she's terrified of people so this is going to be a task...
but even Toby, who's a BIG FAT PEKIN! could fly a little bit before. we'd have him in a pen but it had no roof. he'd just stand there and look up and just flap his wings like crazy and get out! the fence was about 4 or 5 feet tall! but he was a little driven cuz the girl was on the other side of the fence....

 

[PlumTuckered]

Once you clip her wing you should be able to herd her back to the pen. To herd her, simply walk towards her with your arms out (but hold your arms fairly low), when you want her to go towards the right hold your left arm up higher and vice versa, it works like a charm. I only had to herd my ducks the first few weeks, now I just holler c'mon duck duck duck and they all come running up from the pond. If they are elsewhere on the farm I holler duck duck duck and they walk right beside me all the way to the pen. Ducks are wonderful

Michelle

 

[TheDuckCrew]

i normally herd toby into the pen, if i can get him out of the pond...somedays he just refuses to come out and i try EVERYTHING. ill try to clip her wing this weekend and hopefully it will be cold enough that the entire pond freezes over.