how often to clip wings?

[spish]

i bought my muscovys early this year (they were born feb/march?) ive never cut their wings yet.....ideally when would i need to do it?

 

[chicksbestfriend]

I have 16 muscovies and have never clipped their wings, and they range in age from 6 mos old to 5 yrs old. My scovies love to fly around, but they always come back home, havent lost one yet. In fact, if one of them misses the landing field and end up on the wrong side of the fence, they frantically try to figure out how to get back inside, forgetting they can fly, and I have to go over the fences and help them back, but that doesnt happen too often. My take on it is, if the duck is that uphappy here and wants to fly away and find another place, I support that, but havent had to deal with that issue either.

 

[spish]

id love to let them 'fly free' but we live on the side of a river, and i think if they 'spotted' that, id never see them again

 

[chicksbestfriend]

Quote:
Have you ever seen Muscovies fly? It is such an awesome thing to watch! At first, I too thought about clipping the wings when they first started taking air, but after the magnificant shows, I couldnt break down to do it, but again, I live nowhere near the river or a body of water that may lure them away. (They have an ocean view, but from 2000 ft. elevation, dont think they can make out the ocean from here, lol). Muscovies are not really water ducks though, at least mine arent, they like to dip into the water often and get cleaned up, but they dont swim around like other ducks. I have a few plastic kiddie pools on the property for them so i guess they get their fill of water fun there. Sorry that I didnt have the answer as to when to clip, but if I were to clip wings, I would do it when you see them practicing their take offs. It takes them a little while to master the skills, they are rather clumsy with it in the beginning.