Can you use zip ties on duck wings like they do with penguins at the zoo?

[Flip811]

I have a duck that has some kind of balance issue, possibly seizures. When she was a baby, she would fall over backwards 50+ times a day, and almost always needed help to flip back over. Now that she's a few months old, her episodes only happen maybe once every week or two, but she's also outside where we don't notice as quickly and the other ducks just leave her. I'd like to mark her in some way so that it's easy to tell if she is with the flock. We already leg band, and I'm looking for a more visible option anyway, especially for while we are on vacation and my neighbor is watching the flock. I was thinking possibly a bright colored zip tie high up on her wing like the zoos do with penguins? Any thoughts on that option or suggestions for other options?

 

[neo71665]

Are you sure you're not mixing wing bands up with zip ties?

https://www.ketchummfg.com/livestoc...TkZBFXPR25KCEc_ZfKrBjbtJwRUemFa0aAi-HEALw_wcB

 

[Flip811]

Are you sure you're not mixing wing bands up with zip ties?

https://www.ketchummfg.com/livestoc...TkZBFXPR25KCEc_ZfKrBjbtJwRUemFa0aAi-HEALw_wcB

Yeah, wing bangs aren't very visible. On penguins, they use zip ties, which are very visible on penguins, and I assume would be fairly visible on a duck, I'm just not sure if they would be possible/comfortable with wing feathers. Here's an article with some penguin pics.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vi...o-tell-our-penguins-apart-heres-how-4397/amp/

 

[NatJ]

On penguins, they use zip ties, which are very visible on penguins, and I assume would be fairly visible on a duck, I'm just not sure if they would be possible/comfortable with wing feathers. Here's an article with some penguin pics.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vi...o-tell-our-penguins-apart-heres-how-4397/amp/

I think a duck's wing would have a skinny area right at the shoulder, where there are no long feathers. I know a chicken's wing has such a spot. Putting a band on that skinny area might work fine.

I would probably try putting on such a band and see how it looks, then check every day for the first week or so. That way if it causes any problems, you will find the problems quickly, and can remove the band if needed.

 

[saysfaa]

What color are your ducks?

 

[Flip811]

I think I found a solution. I made her an elastic harness that I based off of the design for duck diapers, and tied foil ribbon to it. She's been wearing it for two days with no issues so far. She's leaving it alone, the other ducks aren't picking on her, and the ribbons are visible from across the yard.