I have 4 muscovys needing to be released but i want to have something on them so i can identify them as they grow and change

[HollowOfWisps]

So they started out wild
Where abouts are you located?
Depending on where you are, it may be illegal to release them back into the wild, they're also likely imprinted and tame- They wont thrive in the wild.

I wonder if you could find a new home for them

There is a Florida page on Byc
@HollowOfWisps
@Miss Lydia
@casportpony
Can help to give you the link
I can never find it off my phone

Here is the Florida state thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/florida-always-sunny-side-up.305793/page-2001

 

[ruthhope]

Does anyone have any ideas other then bands on legs . I have some of those coming Tues hopefully I can get them on them . If not I'm hoping there is a pain or something that won't hurt them that will last so as the go into the wild I'll know who's who.

But since leave the backyard and go into the wild, isn't that itself illegal still? It's still releasing them

If they are released onto private land that is legal -- these would be released back to where they were found which is ideal. What the ducks do then is up to the ducks, if they do not have their wings clipped. These are feral muscovy and will survive as well as any wildborn feral muscovy. They are still young and slim and able to fly.

 

[Danielleb82]

I understand your predicament in keep or release.

I rescue and rehab ducks including muscovy ducklings in NE Florida. I don't rehab wild or feral ducks as house ducks or pets, though. I don't handle them unless necessary and they basically only have ducky company

When it is time to release I have to find a pond or lake that is entirely on private property as release to the wild is illegal in Florida.

That you are planning to release these ducklings back into the wild of your grandfather's back yard is fine.

As for your question about identifying them in the future, legbands are the only durable and safe way of identifying birds in the wild.
As your ducks have had some human contact and care, as written above, they will not be fully wild. I think you should offer food and water daily, away from your house in your grandfather's garden. They can then return for food if they want it. But muscovy are feral in FLorida and neighboring states [and elsewhere I have read on NExtDoor but not seen]. They have not been domesticated for thousands of years like pekins. They can fly and they do have survival instincts. If you let them go, they will do as well as any other muscovy out there in the big world.

We live off of a huge lake and I feed the wild birds everyday, they feel safe here plenty of food and water. And poop lol . . They are flying and I'm afraid they will get hurt in my patio. I have some bands coming on Tues so I'll put them on and release the next day . Picture is of our backyard at dinner time

 

[Danielleb82]

But since leave the backyard and go into the wild, isn't that itself illegal still? It's still releasing them

I'm not sure since I found then on our back porch

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

So what you mean by release is
Letting them off your deck and back out to the pond behind you ?
That’s different then they I thought you first meant
That’s not so bad and you will be able see how they do
Hollowofwisps did give the link to your local state thread in case you did want to find them homes

 

[BelovedBirds]

I'm not sure since I found then on our back porch

I know, I'm just a bit confused as I was under the impression that once they are taken into captivity, they cannot be released again due to being so invasive- if they are released to the garden but left to fend themselves and turn wild, and fly and go off- I thought that would still fall under "being released into the wild"

I may be wrong or slightly off, I'm not in the states so this isn't something I deal with

 

[BelovedBirds]

We live off of a huge lake and I feed the wild birds everyday, they feel safe here plenty of food and water. And poop lol . . They are flying and I'm afraid they will get hurt in my patio. I have some bands coming on Tues so I'll put them on and release the next day . Picture is of our backyard at dinner time

Do you own the lake?

 

[Danielleb82]

If they are released onto private land that is legal -- these would be released back to where they were found which is ideal. What the ducks do then is up to the ducks, if they do not have their wings clipped. These are feral muscovy and will survive as well as any wildborn feral muscovy. They are still young and slim and able to fly.

Lol they were abandoned on my back porch , with no mom in sight at under a week old . I looked all over for the mom that day they appeared. None of my mama's around our house had babies . And never heard a mama squawking for them , like they usually do when they can't find their babies . They were so quiet it was odd . But I kept an eye on them all day and after a couple hours I took them in and put them under the heater and fed them.

 

[Danielleb82]

Do you own the lake?

No

 

[BelovedBirds]

Lol they were abandoned on my back porch , with no mom in sight at under a week old . I looked all over for the mom that day they appeared. None of my mama's around our house had babies . And never heard a mama squawking for them , like they usually do when they can't find their babies . They were so quiet it was odd . But I kept an eye on them all day and after a couple hours I took them in and put them under the heater and fed them.

I'm sure you did the right thing taking them in, it would be unusual for such young babies to be alone
I wonder what happened to their mama