My Magpie hen (the only one of my ducks that is laying) is a little too bright. She has gotten out of the fenced duck run every day for the last three days. She must be going under the fence, because she it too heavy to fly over it. She has a blast foraging until she gets caught. She keeps it up she will get caught by something other than me! (dog, coyote, raccoon, hawk ....) Guess I am going to have to sit and watch her to see how she is getting out. I think she just gets so intent on her foraging that she forages her way right under the fence. But be darned if I can figure out where. Her buddies stand inside the fence looking out and might as well be saying "what are you doing out there?" Sorry so dark...another sunshiny day in the Pacific Northwest!
Wow! My ducks must be stupid, they dont want to go out their fence even if a blade of grass moves they freak out
Maybe she's climbing the fence? Muscovy are good climbers. Hmm? Is there anything that she can get up on in the pen and then glide over the fence? I'd probably spend an afternoon watching her, it would be better than losing her. Good luck.
Acht is my chief security inspector. When I put up a new section of fence, she will walk along it, one foot pressing the fence, the other stepping on the ground. She's my quality control! Of course, it took a few popouts before I caught on that that's how helpful she is!
Ducks are along ways from being dumb. They tend to be "herd bound" and won't leave their flock, and they don't like changes, but that does not mean they are stupid.
Is that black plastic fence? If so I bet she is just pushing right under now that she figured it out you will need to stake the bottom edge down to stop it. Gotta live ducks they will show you just how resourceful they are.
FLChickens, I did have more popouts with the flexible plastic poultry fence. The coated wire is better. But if anything causes it to lean a bit (snow, limbs, etc.), and I don't straighten it up right away, Sechs or Funf with flap-walk up and out. Of course, last winter, we had so much snow it completely covered the three foot fence for a couple of months.
You sure she's not flying out? I have a somewhat heavy runner drake that I've seen get 2' feet off the ground before.
Oh my! i don't have mine penned so they don't get the opportunity to practice escape skills. I agree i'd try and watch to see what her 'plan' is for escape.
