Will my Muscovy Ducks fly away?

[Carajean]

I just got some Muscovy Ducks. I know that they're able to fly but I don't know how well they're able to. Can they fly long distances like wild ducks do or do they fly few inches or feet off the ground. I ask because I don't want them to fly away and there is a small pond in the woods behind my house and there are a few massive snapping turtles in there that could do some pretty heavy damage. I clipped their wings today just to be safe. Once their flight feathers come in will they try to fly away or will they understand that this is home? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Carajean]

I just got some Muscovy Ducks. I know that they're able to fly but I don't know how well they're able to. Can they fly long distances like wild ducks do or do they fly few inches or feet off the ground. I ask because I don't want them to fly away and there is a small pond in the woods behind my house and there are a few massive snapping turtles in there that could do some pretty heavy damage. I clipped their wings today just to be safe. Once their flight feathers come in will they try to fly away or will they understand that this is home? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mine stay home! They fly around the barn, but always come right back.

 

[Quatie]

I clipped my muscovy wings because I live right on a highway. I don't want them to get hurt. I have a small fenced area for them to roam. A couple of mine would jump the fence to lay an egg in some straw on the other side. Then they would jump back into their fenced area. They could definitely leave if they wanted to, but they so far seem to be happy here. Even with clipped wings they can still jump high and climb fences.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I clip because we’re surrounded by woods and loving to fly they can get into a lot of trouble. I prefer mine stay alive an not be eaten by predators.

 

[Tinabuglaw]

Yep learned that lesson the wet way too we have a mountain river down below our home and at the time there were 2 Muscovy drakes living on it fast forward one came to visit I didn’t close the back gate all the way an he duck napped my 3 girls we tried everything to get them home an one had 10 eggs she was sitting on,after getting soaked and still not catching them (at least it was summer)I had to leave them there over night. They were white too and I am sure glowed in the dark I had to get the eggs place them under a lamp no incubator here. And hope for the best. Next morning I am standing at the window looking down at the river trying to figure out how I am going to get these girls home when I see the drake coming up the path with 3 girls following him, I grabbed the eggs ran down stairs put them back in the coop opened the gate they came in Alice the broody calmly walk over to her coop went inside an got back on her eggs. Just like she’d only been out for a short R&R .Honest I am not making this up lol. And all 10 duckling hatched. This was in 2005 always clip wings now and even though they walked to the river, They knew it was there after that episode. Oh an that drake came to live with us too he was here almost 12 yrs before he died. Such an awesome drake too.

You need to write a children's book! That's a great story!