My Mallard and wing clipping.

[TarynLynn]

Hey y'all, we have a young female Mallard in our flock. Her name is Star, and she has been flying. Now I'm not particularly alarmed by this, she never has tried to fly away. She will fly around the yard after me, or she'll get excited (or spooked) and fly across the yard to their run. Star is our only Mallard, we do have five other ducks of different breeds all too big to fly.
Today my darling husband witnessed Star in all her flying glory. He seemed to think i have been exaggerating her capabilities. To be fair he doesn't spend even half the amount of the time I do with the birds so he hasnt seen Star really fly, well until today.
Any how, my question is do i have to clip her wings? Is there a chance she wont fly away to migrate?
She is a little skittish, however she gets close to me and will let me and my oldest daughter pet her. She is not a fan of being held though. She will talk to me and come to me (usually the first or second duck there) when i whistle and call for all the birds. I'm just not sure what she'll do. And honestly i dont want to clip her wings if i dont have to.
Any advice is welcome, and very much appreciated!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

don’t clip. she will stay.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

you and the other ducks are her flock and she would’nt leave u

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's possible if a migrating flock passes, that shell go with them. Happened to our neighbor's multiple times.

She shouldn't bee too panicked by the actual clipping since it's not panful, but it would probably help to have a second person there so one can hold and one can cut

 

[TarynLynn]

It's me who is anxious about wing clipping. Lol I do think she wouldnt be too upset by it though. But honesly I enjoy watching her fly.
Although if she'll go after a flock of wild ducks, i might just have to bite my tounge and wing clip or my husband wants to cull her. Which i am not about.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

It's me who is anxious about wing clipping. Lol I do think she wouldnt be too upset by it though. But honesly I enjoy watching her fly.
Although if she'll go after a flock of wild ducks, i might just have to bite my tounge and wing clip or my husband wants to cull her. Which i am not about.

why does he want to cull her?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I clipped my mallards wings once by myself no problem and she was perfectly okay with it. I just was slow, calm and I have experience clipping wings. A properly clipped wing will not hurt the bird in any way and they do not feel a thing (key word being properly). There are several great wing clipping tutorials that I would recommend viewing if you have never clipped a wing before along with some great diagrams on veterinary websites of a ducks feather and wing anatomy. However, I did only clip her wings that one time. I dont think she would even have a reason to leave with unlimited food, a very well fenced 1 acre foraging paddock, she's very attached to a couple of my other hens and she has a safe warm coop to sleep at night (she goes right into the coop on her own so she must feel it's a safe place). I've had several flocks pass while she stays put and I have noticed as she has gotten older she flys hardly at all (I haven't seen her feet leave the ground in months except to swim).

Here's a good article written by a vet on wing clipping (it also has pinioning, but just scroll past that). https://vet360.vetlink.co.za/pinioning-wing-clipping/

 

[KaleIAm]

Personally, if my ducks could fly, I would go trim their flight feathers right now! I have heard too many stories about ducks flying off, even when they are well provided for and bonded with their flock. I am very emotionally invested in my ducks and so unwilling to risk them flying away. If it is a risk you can accept and you enjoy watching her fly about perhaps for you having her flighted is an acceptable option.

I have trimmed hundreds of bird's feathers, mostly parrots, but the anatomy is the same. I assure you when you do it correctly it definitely doesn't hurt them. Based on the reaction of many birds I imagine the sensation is similar to us having a nail trim and that the worst part about the process is being held still. Of course, for their safety you have to hold them still. If you choose to do it look up tutorials until you feel confident and comfortable. Have someone hold her. Alternatively, you could take her to a vet. They'll usually do it for about $15.

 

[TarynLynn]

why does he want to cull her?

Well. Some of the birds we have are meat birds and he is about to cull them this weekend. Since Star is a female we are keeping her (we have one drake who isnt a meat bird that we are keeping but only the one) but he said if theres a high chance she'll fly away he wants to cull her. I just let myself become more attached to her so theres a blockage in my brain with culling her. Just like our other ducks we have for eggs and as pets- im attached.
Our main goal is to be as self-sustainable as possible so he doesnt want to lose her. But he also wont clip wings, that will be my job i just was wondering if i wouldnt have to. Im just nervous to be honest. I've never clipped wings before.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

How big is she now? Football size or longer?