1. Gather your supplies. You will need:
A pair of sharp fingernail or toe- nail clippers
A small file
A towel or blanket to wrap the duck in
2. Catch your duck. The easiest way to catch a duck is to have one person block its escape and the other person scoop it up with the net. Once you have caught the duck, wrap it in a towel or blanket to keep it calm.
3. Hold your duck. Hold your duck securely with one hand around its body and head. Use your other hand to trim your duck’s wingtips.
4. Trim the primary flight feathers. The primary flight feathers are the long feathers on the outermost tip of the duck's wing. Carefully clip the tips of these feathers off, being careful not to cut into the skin.
5. Trim the secondary flight feathers. The secondary flight feathers are the shorter feathers located just behind the primary flight feathers. Trim these feathers off in the same way that you trimmed the primary flight feathers.
6. File the nails. File down any sharp points on the tips of the flight feathers. This will help prevent them from catching on anything and getting damaged.
7. Release your duck. Once you are finished trimming the wings, release your duck. It will take a few days for them to get used to flying without their full flight feathers, but they will eventually be able to fly again.
Tips:
- Trim the wing feathers gradually over several weeks to avoid shocking your duck.
- If you are unsure about how to trim your duck's wings, consult with an experienced poultry farmer.
- Ducklings require more frequent wing trims than adult ducks because their feathers grow faster.
- Trimming your duck's wings is an effective way to prevent them from flying away but does not guarantee they will not be able to escape if they are motivated to do so.
- Wing trimming is not necessary if you keep your ducks in a secure enclosure.
- If your duck will not be flying regularly, you may want to consider trimming their wings more frequently to prevent them from becoming overgrown.