What age is best to pinion black neck swans.

[PeppyLaRoo]

My female black neck swan (avatar picture) has been sitting on at least three eggs for about two weeks now. Could be more eggs, but I don't want to disturb her to find out, as she rarely leaves the nest. The odd thing is that she is only about 1.5 years old and most don't begin laying nearly that young, so these may be infertile. If they do hatch I would certainly want to pinion them so I would like to know what age is best to do this. Also can you put them back with the parents after pinioning, or will they reject them?

.

Here she is with her first egg. They built a much bigger nest with straw I provided after this. I would like to get more pictures but the male is very protective and I think it is better to give them some space.

 

[broody rooster]

shes a beautiful swan im sorry im not of much use id imagine sometime after the flight feathers develop but i have no clue sorry

 

[copperduck]

I never had swans but the story usually goes if your going to pinion anything to do it in the first week born

 

[Trifolium]

I never had swans but the story usually goes if your going to pinion anything to do it in the first week born

Agree. It's pretty difficult to pinion once their wings start growing. And especially not large grown birds, it would have to be a surgery with anesthesia.

I've read a news article a while back that someone pinioned a grown bird and the authorities were trying to find the person who did it for animal cruelty because he had done such a botched job...

For a grown bird, your better choice would be to clip the primary flight feathers if you don't want them to take flight. For the newborns, you can pinion one wing only to cause imbalance in their flight. For the males, when they grow up, it also causes imbalance they try to mate so that's also something to consider.

 

[Black Swan]

NEVER! Ouch!

 

[swampfox440]

A rule of thumb is 2-14 days old. It is very easy on a young bird. I have done this many because the law requires it.

 

[Little Eden Farm]

Agree. It's pretty difficult to pinion once their wings start growing. And especially not large grown birds, it would have to be a surgery with anesthesia.

I've read a news article a while back that someone pinioned a grown bird and the authorities were trying to find the person who did it for animal cruelty because he had done such a botched job...

For a grown bird, your better choice would be to clip the primary flight feathers if you don't want them to take flight. For the newborns, you can pinion one wing only to cause imbalance in their flight. For the males, when they grow up, it also causes imbalance they try to mate so that's also something to consider.

I have avg a 100 or more Muscovy a year to hatch. To keep them on my property not in the woods or on someone's windshield out on the highway. I pinion all. Never seen a problem with breeding. It works for me and mine. Also doing turkeys poults today to see if it works on them too. I do all at 2 days old. Never lost a one from it.