Baby Mallards hatching very soon

[fuzziecreatures]

Federal law requires home hatched mallards must, prior to 6 weeks of age, be physically marked using one of the following methods: (a) Removal of the hind toe from the right foot. (b) Pinioning of a wing by removing the metacarpal bones of one wing or a portion of the metacarpal bones thereby rendering the bird permanently incapable of flight. (c) Banding of one metatarsus with a seamless metal band. (d) Tattooing a readily discernible number or letter or combination thereof on the web of one foot.

http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-9.pdf

What does everyone else do? I need to get my supplies together. I figure hind toe would be easiest and cheapest. I've done puppy dewclaws and guessing as long as I do it within a day or 2 of hatching the bones will still be soft as well. It would be rather similar.

 

[buff goose guy]

Federal law requires home hatched mallards must, prior to 6 weeks of age, be physically marked using one of the following methods: (a) Removal of the hind toe from the right foot. (b) Pinioning of a wing by removing the metacarpal bones of one wing or a portion of the metacarpal bones thereby rendering the bird permanently incapable of flight. (c) Banding of one metatarsus with a seamless metal band. (d) Tattooing a readily discernible number or letter or combination thereof on the web of one foot.

http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-9.pdf

What does everyone else do? I need to get my supplies together. I figure hind toe would be easiest and cheapest. I've done puppy dewclaws and guessing as long as I do it within a day or 2 of hatching the bones will still be soft as well. It would be rather similar.

umm no ur not required to do that as long as they dont fly off/ u clip there wings none of that is required . I raise mallards and ive done none of that and its also completly legal . Actually my vet whose husband works for the Legal well being of wildlife here in Mississippi, told me that pinioning and cutting the toe is very dangerous and can negatively affect the birds, also i asked about the bands, no u dint have to do that unless ur rehabilitating mallards to be released back in the wild, and for that u have to have a license

Also all of this is only required if u do not own domesticated mallards.

 

[fuzziecreatures]

They were ducklings someone purchased from a feed store before easter last year. They dropped them off at my clinic a week after easter. So as long as I keep clipping their flight feathers, everything is all good?

 

[buff goose guy]

They were ducklings someone purchased from a feed store before easter last year. They dropped them off at my clinic a week after easter. So as long as I keep clipping their flight feathers, everything is all good?

Yes , especially if they were bought from a feed store that means that they were domesticated.