Muscovy Duck Wanders Off

[DuckyMolly]

I have raised two muscovy ducks from ducklinghood: a girl and a boy named Ducky and Dinger, (now about five months old.) I thought it was a good idea to get another lady for Dinger, so two weeks ago I brought home a new adult female muscovy named Jamboree.
Two days ago, I woke up to find Jamboree missing from the pen. I was afraid some fox or something stole off with her, but to my relief she wandered back home from the brush when the other two ducks started munching on breakfast.

So, I nabbed the girl and clipped her wing, thinking she had flown up and jumped the fence at some point in the night (something that Ducky has done before.)

She's normally good with staying with the group when they're roaming around the property during the day, and yesterday Jamboree went into the pen with Ducky and Dinger when the sun started to set, so I thought all was well. But this evening, she disappeared again. I searched all around the surrounding fields and brush, but not a trace could be found.

I'm hoping she'll show up again in the morning, but I am really worried about all the night predators. If she keeps wandering off like this something is bound to get her (if something hasn't already gotten her.) If Jamboree makes another triumphant return, what should I do to make sure this doesn't keep happening? Does she need to be confined in her pen for a few days longer to ensure she knows where home is?

 

[EEforMe]

I would say yes, keep her in her pen for another day or two

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you can cover the top of the pen that would also keep her home. My Muscovy get their wing clipped every fall after molt but they are really good climbers. So you want to keep her safe cover your pen. I hope she is home this morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@EEforMe
@DuckyMolly

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Maybe she's sitting on a nest? But, new ducks should be penned for a few weeks to a month before letting them free range.
Unfortunately fox love muscovy, I've lost 2 sweet muscovies and a runner to a fox just this year. I had no issues prior and I've had these ducks for years. So now everyone is penned and the fox won't be getting any more free dinners.
Hopefully your duck is safe and returns.

 

[nchls school]

Is it possible that she has a nest? Both of my females are spending a lot of time near a nest site. When I went out early (still dark) this morning, one of the hens was on her nest (possibly her 1st egg will be laid today). The other muscovy hen was sitting near her nesting site (this will be her 3rd nest this year).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thankfully my females nest inside their houses. They didn't when young and it took a lot of time to convince them they couldn't have a nest outside if they planned on living.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thankfully my females nest inside their houses. They didn't when young and it took a lot of time to convince them they couldn't have a nest outside if they planned on living.

I had one that decided to nest in the bean field and we had to search for her one night. Luckily we found her. She was persistent and then I found a hidden nest in between some logs. Once I found that and kept her out of that area, she stayed in the run. I find the younger ones will nest outside of their safe zones and also wander farther than the older ones. If I had more space, I'd let them hatch out hundreds ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And boy they would too. I think in a Muscovy's mind it's very important to populate the whole world in ducklings.
I'd have had a nervous breakdown if one of mine wander off into a bean field, thankfully it was never in the woods just under my husband's workshop and other places outside of their fenced area. So everything got hardware cloth around it to keep them out.
I lost some of my first game hens because they would fly out of their property and nest in the woods. Found a few but they can hide so good.

 

[EEforMe]

I had a barred rock that disappeared into the woods for a month and came out fine! We were sure she was dead but nope, she was fine!