The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: MAK on November 12, 2012, 04:34:13 pm
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We are trying to reduce the number of young ducks we had in June ( one a day) whilst building the adults a new duck house and secure area, within and just outside, a barn. What with other jobs I forget to clip the wings of the adults new feathers. As I was gathering her egg the mum took off - over her duck house, the chicken enclosure, the pigs field, a stream, 20 feeding limousin calves and into their field. Quite a sight!
2 years ago we forgot to clip the adults new feathers too. Two of them flew away but sadley we found bits of them in a field.
All clipped today except the large drake - I don't want to tackle him and he is probabley too big to fly anyway ( grumpy old thing).
Lesson learnt : watch out for birds flexing their wings and their new flight feathers.
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going to keep muscovys next spring,,,, i suppose no need to clip drakes wings if hes got a load of girls to wasname ;)
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I don't clip my two muskies wings as they don't get penned away at night. I reckon the can fly out of mr foxies way if need be ;D
Mine don't go off too far though, dunno why. Don't blame you for not doing the drake, I love my Daffyd to bits but I ain't picking him up for anything! Them claws hurt :o ;D
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Foxes - My ducks are in an enclosure about 4'6" high so the foxes we have heard last week could jump this. Maybe I should have not been so hasty in wing clipping as the one flew off just strolled back when she heard the grain bucket. Good point Colliwoman - I really must think before I act.