Keeping Ducks: Pinioning
Ducks are generally a flying bird. This makes them harder to keep
around. To avoid this from happening you should pinion your ducks.
Pinioning is the act of clipping the pinion joint, which enables any
bird to fly. Pinioning is regularly done to poultry and waterfowls, and
should be administered to duck breeds that have lighter bodies, which
allows them to escape because they are more capable of flight.
Removing the pinion joint is similar when you remove a person’s hand by
cutting through the wrist. This eliminates the primary plumage,
preventing the velocity and acceleration needed to take flight. This
can be done by a veterinarian or an experienced duck breeder.
Most breeders use a sharp pair of scissors designed for docking. They
hold a wing, extend it, and locate the joint on the end of the wing.
There are two pieces of wing part that are attached at the pinion
joint. One part is very small and the other is more noticeable. The
larger piece should be cut-off at the joint, leaving the smaller piece
whole. Cauterization is also done so that all bleeding of cuts will be
stopped and the ducks can heal faster and easier.
Pinioning is typically only administered to duck breeds that can fly;
otherwise they would escape the coop or fly above the fence yard. It is
recommended to perform pinioning before they are a few days old. When
done with older ducks, the pinioning is more stressful to them and the
cut tends to bleed needing further cauterization.
Most raisers don’t perform pinioning. Instead of cutting the joints,
they clip the feathers instead, although this solution only lasts until
the fathers are replaced again during the molting season; these flight
feathers are grown by most domesticated ducks at least once a year.
Lasting duck pens, made to prevent escape eliminates the need for
pinioning, but this will entail more costs in your part.
Ducks, who can’t fly, doesn’t need pinioning, so before you bother
yourself and your poultry, check whether the breed you are raising is
indeed able to fly.
The elimination of a body part of livestock is an issue of animal
rights activities. The quality of life for the ducks is often used to
justify this. In some situations, if the ducks are not confined,
pinioning can increase the quality of life. Ducks that are allowed to
roam around the yard or a pond have a higher quality of life, because
of freedom of motion, natural habitat and increased mental and physical
development as compared to penning.
Clipping is an alternative to pinioning, but it is not always reliable.
The molting season can happen earlier or later than the expected date.
A partially molted duck can summon the required acceleration and be
able to take flight, which does not increase their life preservation in
the wild since they are not adapted to survival in the open. They
cannot fully fly and avoid possible predators.
Remember, pinioning should be performed by a veterinarian or an
experience breeder. Amateurs can harm the ducks and even prove to be
fatal if the cut is infected. Ducklings have a lower survival rate when
they are injured.
Articles
Keeping Ducks:
Mating Systems
Hatching Baby Ducks
Keeping
Ducks: The Top Duck Breeds
How
to Tell the Difference Between Male and Female Ducks
Keeping Black
East Indies Ducks
Keeping Call Ducks
Two
Respiratory Diseases Common to Ducks
Keeping Ducks: Breeding
Keeping Ducks As Pets
Keeping Ducks For Eggs
Keeping Cayuga Ducks
Keeping
Ducks: Feeding and Behavior
How to Feed
Fully Grown Ducks
Keeping Ducks As
Poultry
Keeping Ducklings
Keeping Crested Ducks
How to Raise
Ducks In Your Home
Keeping Ducks:
The Mallard Breed
Keeping Muscovy Ducks
Keeping
Ducks For Meat
Raising Pekin duck
Feeding Ducklings
Keeping Baby Ducks
Keeping
Ducks: Frequently Asked Questions
Disclosure:
Owners of this website will receive compensation for
products purchased through featured advertisements.
|
|
|