Do pet ducks fly away? (Do they need to be fenced in?)

Birds. They’re beautiful, they’re majestic, and they fascinate us to no end. More people would own them as pets if it weren’t for the challenges posed by their ability to fly.

Striking a balance between the happiness of the animal and keeping them grounded close to their owner is not an easy thing.

Especially so in the case of ducks, which are animals that were never meant to be caged, but to roam free and enjoy the landscape.

Do Pet Ducks Fly Away?

There are plenty of ducks that can fly away. But just because they can doesn’t mean they will. 

Ducks that are comfortable and that feel safe aren’t inclined to just suddenly take to the skies. There are a host of factors that could cause them to try to leave home, which we will cover in a bit.

If in spite of your best efforts your pet ducks might still try to fly away. You can carefully clip their wings to prevent this. Clipping their wings doesn’t hurt them if done properly.

It can be a necessary precaution because once ducks fly away, they aren’t always able to find their way back home. Their safety could become an issue.

What Would Make Pet Ducks Fly Away?

Predators. Even if your ducks are comfortable and well maintained, they’re going to react out of fear to predators. Perhaps Foxes or coyotes are nearby and they decide to make a move on your precious ducks.

Like any sensible survivor, your ducks will react with fear and take to flight in order to remove themselves from the threat. In the moment, they are not going to consider how far they fly from their home.

Food. Like all animals, ducks need to eat. If they’re not able to find food in the housing or the property that you confined them to, they will wing up in order to go searching for some.

Play. Ducks like to have fun just like any other domestic animal. When they play with each other, they’re happy but they will get distracted by the fun they’re having. It’s worth noting that ducks are far less likely to get lost while playing than they are when say, escaping a threat.

Moving on. Ducks may be tame, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re domesticated. Tamed ducks will hang around your property as long as they have the incentives, such as food and shelter. If any of those things are taken away or if something makes them feel uncomfortable, they’ll fly off in search of greener pastures. 

Instinct. Sometimes, you just can’t stop a bird from being a bird. Flight is a natural instinct for them, just as much as barking is a natural instinct for a dog or breathing is a natural instinct for you. 

Are Flying Pet Ducks a Bad Thing?

There are plenty of duck owners who let their ducks fly as much as they please and they have no problems. They’ll even argue that the freedom to fly contributes to the happiness of their ducks. 

There are plenty of reasons why duck owners might want to prevent their ducks from flying. most notably, the emotional bond that you form between each other.

Or maybe the owner has already found out through experience that if their ducks fly, they get lost or injured, and they’re looking to prevent having a repeat experience.

Also read: Will ducks eat my garden?

Not All Ducks Can Fly

If you’re about to come into possession of a duck and you’re fretting over them leaving, you should look into getting ducks that can’t fly in the first place. Duck breeders are sometimes able to remove flight from some breeds through selective mating. A little extra research could show you that you’re worrying about nothing. 

Whatever the case, just because a duck is capable of flight, it doesn’t guarantee that the duck will fly away and/or get lost. Ducks have survived this long for a reason.

How Can You Keep Pet Ducks From Flying Away?

The more ethical the measures you take, the happier and healthier your ducks will be. 

Clipping the duck’s wings is a common method of controlling flight. The good news is that it’s not necessary to clip both wings to take a duck out of the air. The duck will lack the balance that it needs with only one “good” wing and won’t be able to fly away.

To clip your duck’s wings, first find the feathers on the edge of the wing that are the longest. Here is where you’re going to need to be very careful.

If you leave the feathers too long, then the duck will still be able to fly away.

If you cut the feathers too short, you’ll cut into blood vessels and injure your duck painfully, resulting in bleeding or worse, including a loss of trust. So you’re trying to cut the feathers midway. 

Some duck owners will attach something heavy to the wing of the duck, but this isn’t always effective or ethical. A small metal washer can be heavy enough to keep a duck from flying, but exactly how to attach it to the duck’s wing is dubious. Some people use zip ties. 

Consider that most anything you attach to a duck can get caught on something. 

Train Them to Stick Around

If you get your ducks in the habit of receiving treats when they return home, this will reinforce their tendency to come back, wherever they may roam. This is simple to accomplish, simply give your pet duck some treats whenever they come back to their confinement. This doesn’t necessarily have to be after a long journey. Say your duck decides to fly off for a few minutes, treat it! It will associate coming home with something good.

Secure The Area

Your ducks will be inclined to stick around if there aren’t any predators or sources of jump scares. Removing these things from their environment will help them associate their designated space with peace and security. 

Buddy Up

Your next option is to bond with your ducks. This isn’t a possibility for everyone, but when you can, your ducks will become familiar with who is responsible for their feeding and safety. They’ll also associate you with love and snuggles if you’re so inclined to cuddle your ducks.