- Thread starter
- #21
SilberHenne
Songster
- Mar 27, 2018
- 85
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Are you clipping enough of the wing? I mean you don't want to clip too much, but if not enough they can still fly well. I clipped one wing on each of my muscovies. I should have clipped just a bit more, but it was the first time I did it. I only trimmed the primary feathers just enough to match up with the secondary. If I had trimmed a bit more they probably wouldn't be able to fly at all - but they can jump and I want to make sure they can still glide and land well. They can still fly, but not for a long distance nor high enough to migrate if they were inclined to do so (which muscovies have been known to do). They definitely can still fly enough to jump over a fence. Or clear a fence if given enough running room. I left one wing just in case they needed to escape a predator while out in the yard.
As well my chickens can jump quite a distance no flying needed. So, if they had a way to jump up and over a fence, they just might do it. However, they are never given the chance due to their set up.
View attachment 1528140
I trimmed them all the way to the coverts on one wing and they still were escaping, so I did the other wing and now they are staying put. One of them still managed to somehow get into the front yard the other day, but other than that, clipping both wings was the only thing that worked. And they can still reach the highest roost at night.