My Scovy doesn't fly anymore

[Adalida]

A few weeks ago, my Muscovy was attacked by an owl. It had a hold of her by the back and she was beating at it with her wings. She lost a toenail but didn't have any puncture wounds.

She seems back to her normal self, except for one thing. She doesn't fly anymore. She used to love flying, she flew every day. Now, she only walks. I can't find any evidence of injury. She will beat her wings like ducks do, when they stretch up onto their toes and flap their wings. She doesn't show any signs of pain when I stretch out her wings and probe them. She seems happy; for a few days after the attack, she was cranky and wanted to be left alone, but now she's socializing with the other ducks like she usually does. She just doesn't fly.

I've speculated that maybe the owl swooped down and grabbed her while she was flying, so she's afraid to fly now. I don't know if ducks really think like that though. Any ideas on why she won't fly anymore? (There is no chance at all that the owl is still around to bother her.)

 

[Ren2014]

Bless her heart. I am glad she survived the owl attack. Are you sure she's not flying when you are around? I'm sure she will take to the skies again if you are not finding any type of injury. Mine surprise me a lot when I think they should be flying but they walk instead.

 

[Adalida]

She used to have a routine every morning when I opened the coop and let the birds out to free range: she waited til everybody got out the door, then she took off and flew over them all to beat them to the porch. She'd fly around a bit during the day, and be waiting on top of the coop when I went to lock them up in the evening. Especially once we got snow- she doesn't like walking on it. We've been really hoping to see her flying again but so far, no luck. I am glad that I left her wings unclipped last fall, I really debated on whether to clip them or not. I feel like it at least gave her some leverage to fight with the owl.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think it's a blessing that the owl didn't kill her. Thankfully you didn't clip wings, as that is often their first line of defense (evading capture). I don't think she is afraid to fly, maybe some damage was done, and she prefers not too. I would not be surprised if you do catch her flying one day.

 

[Murphmichael]

A few weeks ago, my Muscovy was attacked by an owl. It had a hold of her by the back and she was beating at it with her wings. She lost a toenail but didn't have any puncture wounds.

She seems back to her normal self, except for one thing. She doesn't fly anymore. She used to love flying, she flew every day. Now, she only walks. I can't find any evidence of injury. She will beat her wings like ducks do, when they stretch up onto their toes and flap their wings. She doesn't show any signs of pain when I stretch out her wings and probe them. She seems happy; for a few days after the attack, she was cranky and wanted to be left alone, but now she's socializing with the other ducks like she usually does. She just doesn't fly.

I've speculated that maybe the owl swooped down and grabbed her while she was flying, so she's afraid to fly now. I don't know if ducks really think like that though. Any ideas on why she won't fly anymore? (There is no chance at all that the owl is still around to bother her.)

Any update on this? Has your Muscovy taken flight since? ... I have a similar situation in which I found my male Muscovy all bloodied one morning last fall (and a dead rooster). I assume the two males battled it out one morning or a fox got in and attacked. I live on a river and it was his routine to fly down to the river every morning and fly back at some point during the day. Ever since that day he hasn't taken flight. He waddles on down to the river on foot every morning and walks back every day. He flaps his wings just fine and otherwise seems totally heathy. Poor guy. Now the females walk with him instead of flying (most of the time), which is all fine except they're more prone to fox attacks while walking on land. I've lost several scovies this way