Another lesson learned but trying to laugh...

~You may cut the one wing feathers on a newly brought home muscovy female and keep her in a cage for a few days with your last surving muscovy (clyde), but that does not mean when you let her out, she will stay. I do believe she may as well be walking her duck butt back home. At least in her mind she is going back to her home which is a few miles away, but with her ability of flying cut off with her tip feathers gone on one side, I say the chance is slim.
~Bonnie, our last surviving female muscovy from the auction,
has moved on to be with her prior passed on siblings. The only one left is the one pictured in my hands from my auction entry. That is Clyde. Bonnie was found in the 5 gallon bucket of water in the goat cabin. How does a duck breed drown? By hopping in a bucket to drink and bathe but have no escape route out. The chill of the night made poor bonnie succumb to sleep I assume and then drowned. I believe she must have got in late at night after the girls night time feeding and when I went out the next morn, I found her. I know death happens all the time on farms and we have friends who own farms that just shrug it off, but every time it happens here I try to think what I did wrong. I should have put that brick back in there but when I changed their bucket with a newly filled & clean one, I did not place the brick in, since I had not scrubbed it yet. I kick myself now, but note that is the first time they had ever gone in the bucket. I know this because if they do get in water, it does not stay clear for more then a second.
~So after much debating with myself, I called up a dearly loved farmer friend and asked to purchase on of his females so Clyde would not be alone and mourn his Bonnie lass. After picking her up (a beautiful all white one) I placed the 2 in a kennel for 2 days. Then I clipped her wing on one side so she could not fly. I did not think about the walking... I have not seen or been able to find her since last night. I do believe she thought -offensive language here- "screw you guys, I'm going home"- cartman of south park quote..
I hope she just made a visit to the pond a street over and will come back soon. But i am not holding my breath or getting another muscovy for awhile.
~Bonnie has been buried in the animal cemetary located out back next to our neighbors pet cemetary that is the final resting spot for animals such as a pet rat, snake, cats and a dog. Ours has a few hens and chicks, a few bunnies (left over from an animal getting into their nest), a few ducklings and a wether goat. They will be on our list of stops to place some food and drink on the graves for Samhain. Some cracked corn and a dish of water would be suffiecient along with raisins. They all loved it when we would give them raisins. Put a smile on your face when you think of the departed, for your life is richer due to them having shared it with you. Have a wonderful All Hollows Eve!
~Tammie