Handling Geese & Ducks:

To catch ducks or geese, slowly walk them in to a small area or corner. Do not chase them. Never catch or carry them by the legs since their weak legs are easily disjointed or broken.

Catch waterfowl by placing one hand firmly around the neck near the body. Then place the other hand on the bird's back over the wings. Release the neck and gently slide the palm of your hand under the breast and abdomen, so the bird's weight is supported on your forearm. Lift birds under your arm and hold their legs gently between your fingers to prevent them from scratching. Hold wings to prevent flapping. Medium and light waterfowl can be carried for short distance by grasping the wings near the body, but larger, heavier ducks or geese should not be carried in this manner.

Feeding:

Give young waterfowl only unmediated feeds to avoid possible adverse reactions to some types of poultry medications. Use starter mash formulated specifically for waterfowl, if available. Commercial starter, grower and breeder diets for waterfowl are usually available from local feed mills. Pelted feeds are usually best even though they cost slightly more than mash feed. Waterfowl tend to waste feed, especially when it is finely ground.

Feed a starter ration during the first 3 weeks and then change to a grower. Birds' 3 weeks of age can be fed small leafy greens or allowed on limited range. To prevent digestive problems, feed some grit a week before allowing access to green plants.

Watering:

Provide plenty of fresh water at all times. Water is essential to keep waterfowl growing and healthy. Make sure young ducks and geese cannot get into the waterers. The drinking area should be large enough for birds to dip their heads into the water (at least as deep as their eyes).

After 2 weeks, place the waterer on wire covered stands 4 inches high to help keep litter dry. Locate the waterers some distance from the feeding area to prevent birds from transferring feed directly into the waterers.

Do Not Let young waterfowl swim or become excessively wet for the first 3 weeks. Young birds that become wet chill easily, tend to crowd and may flip onto their backs resulting in death.

Tips I learned the hard way:

1. Never use Cedar Wood Shavings on ducks or geese. When it gets wet it lets off a gas that is lethal to ducks and geese. Especially babies.

2. Putting one teaspoon of (Vi-tal -- A water vitamin, electrolyte, and mineral supplement) into about a gallon of fresh water before watering babies for the first week or so helps keep them healthier, less stressed, and helps them grow better.

Vent Sexing:

Vent sexing is usually the most reliable method to sex geese. This method may also be used for ducks.

Turn the bird on its back, preferably over a knee or tabletop, and place it's tail back over the edge. Then place your hands on both sides of the vent and push against the sides of the vent with thumbs while your fingers press the tail back. Apply some pressure directly below and on the sides of the vent to invert or expose the extremities of the sex organ.

The male organ in some birds is somewhat difficult to unsheathe. A bird may be a male even if no corkscrew-like male organ appears after applying slight pressure. Only the presence of a female genital eminence (rosette) positively indicates that a bird is a female.

There are few differences in the voice or plumage of male and female geese. Male Pilgrim Geese have white plumage and females have gray and white plumage. Among breeds with knobs on the head, such as the Chinese and Africans, males' knobs are usually much larger.

Visual Sexing:

Ducks are usually easier to sex than geese. Male ducks usually have so-called "drake feathers" which curl forward from the top of their tails. Female ducks lack these feathers. The call of mature males is soft and hoarse; females have a loud, distinct quacking sound.

Female and male Muscovy ducks have identical plumage. The males' lack curled drake feathers. Neither sex has a pronounced voice. The sexually mature males show more and larger caruncles and their bodies are twice as large as females. (Caruncles are the red, fleshy, wart-like tissues around the eyes.)