Should I clip duck's wings?

[cyanne]

So, I bought 2 Khaki Campbell and what I thought were 2 Rouen ducklings at the feed store a while back. I lost one of the supposed Rouens to a drowning incident and was left with just the 2 Khakis and the one 'Rouen' girl. Only now I am suspecting that my Rouen is actually a mallard. She doesn't look all fat like the pics I've seen of Rouens and what I've read says that they can't fly either. Well, the Khakis definitely can't fly, but I just watched my little 'rouen' girl take off and fly around the barnyard about 15 or 20 feet off the ground for a good minute or two before she decided to land back with her friends!

So, I guess that means that she is really a mallard...the question is, should I clip her wings to stop the flying?

On the one hand, I thought maybe she would be safer from predators if she can fly to safety, on the other, I am worried that she might fly away some day.

Right now they all free-range on my 5 acres (mostly staying on the acre right around the house) and then the ducks are penned in a dog crate at night near the fence where the LGD sleeps (extra predator protection).

 

[ChickenToes]

We had the same problem - our mallard would fly around, but she always came back. We didn't clip her wings for a long time, but it got to the point where she was always flying out and wandering around, and we'd have to go let her back into the pen all the time.

So it's really up to you. If you enjoy watching her fly around and she always comes back, then let her be. If you're worried about it, go ahead and clip them.

 

[Wifezilla]

I think if she brooded with the khakis, she wont go too far away from her bbf's (brooder buddies forever

)

 

[cyanne]

Quote:
Yep, I bet you are right...those three are pretty much inseparable. funny part is that the little mallard girl is the ringleader for everything even though she is half the size of the khaki's. I *think* that I ended up with one drake and one hen in the Khaki's since one has the tail curl and the other does not. Either way, they follow the mallard everywhere, flanking her like two doofy body guards.

 

[Wifezilla]

That is so cute.

Our little khaki female was the instigator. Since she left, Lana has taken charge, but she is too lazy to chase squirrels like Janet did. I miss Janet