Marking on ducks.

[Romans1089]

Howdy yalp it's that time again for another question. There's one duck in particular I want to mark so i always know it's him. I've seen a toe puncher but I don't think I could do that. What are alternatives options?


Romans 8:18, Kenny

 

[BelovedBirds]

Howdy yalp it's that time again for another question. There's one duck in particular I want to mark so i always know it's him. I've seen a toe puncher but I don't think I could do that. What are alternatives options?


Romans 8:18, Kenny

Toe puncher? That doesn't sound very pleasant.

You could always use a leg band? Some folks use zip ties instead. Just ensure it's not on too tight. But this is best for adult ducks, since babies grow so fast you'd be having to replace the zip ties frequently to prevent the duckling outgrowing it, which would be very uncomfortable for them.
So while they're growing, you may be better off marking them with food colouring, on the top of the head or legs. Just ensure you don't use especially bright colours, like red, as this may cause the other ducks to peck at them.
Depending on the duck in question, you may be able to tell him apart without any of this. If you know which it is now, you can already identify him anyway, right?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Depending what type ducks you have
I have pekin x khaki and they get spots on their webs
Those never went away from birth so easy to tell
Leg bands are common just need to be watched daily for growth on little ones
Once they get older personalities come out and it gets easier to tell

 

[Romans1089]

Would rubber band work? Would that bother them? And not quite, the only way I can tell his by his personality, he likes to be alone and seems more brave. However he looks identical to 3 others.

Toe puncher? That doesn't sound very pleasant.

You could always use a leg band? Some folks use zip ties instead. Just ensure it's not on too tight. But this is best for adult ducks, since babies grow so fast you'd be having to replace the zip ties frequently to prevent the duckling outgrowing it, which would be very uncomfortable for them.
So while they're growing, you may be better off marking them with food colouring, on the top of the head or legs. Just ensure you don't use especially bright colours, like red, as this may cause the other ducks to peck at them.
Depending on the duck in question, you may be able to tell him apart without any of this. If you know which it is now, you can already identify him anyway, right?

 

[Isadora]

Is this an adult duck or a duckling?
Toe punches are normally used with babies. Done properly there doesn't seem to be much discomfort, though I'm sure it hurts a little bit.
Leg banding would be the easiest way, Though I've heard of people using wing bands as well. I'm not familiar with how those work, though.

 

[Romans1089]

Is this an adult duck or a duckling?
Toe punches are normally used with babies. Done properly there doesn't seem to be much discomfort, though I'm sure it hurts a little bit.
Leg banding would be the easiest way, Though I've heard of people using wing bands as well. I'm not familiar with how those work, though.

He's a little duckling, I was thinking a rubber band but idk if he'd try eating it.

 

[Isadora]

He's a little duckling, I was thinking a rubber band but idk if he'd try eating it.

Seems like it would come off too easily, as well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a couple of Legbars and Speckled Sussex that are like twins so I put colored tie wraps on one of each so when I worm them I am not worming the same one again. These are adults so I don't have to worry about them growing and the wraps cutting off circulation but the tie wraps work great you'd just have to keep checking to make sure on a growing duckling it didn't get too tight.

I tried leg bands but the ducklings kept getting their back toe caught in it.

 

[Romans1089]

I have a couple of Legbars and Speckled Sussex that are like twins so I put colored tie wraps on one of each so when I worm them I am not worming the same one again. These are adults so I don't have to worry about them growing and the wraps cutting off circulation but the tie wraps work great you'd just have to keep checking to make sure on a growing duckling it didn't get too tight.

I tried leg bands but the ducklings kept getting their back toe caught in it.

Ill have to look into those! Do I need to worm mine? Oh boy

 

[Miss Lydia]

I worm all my birds mainly because they are all together during the day so just worming the chickens won't work since I now use a herbal wormer that mixes into their feed. So since I use Ivermectin every 3 months to keep off the parasites the colored tie wraps are still doing their job. Ivermectin goes on the neck skin just like you'd do for flea drops for dogs.

I'm not sure how many on here actually worm their waterfowl but mine only get it because That is the way my system is set up here.