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My older ones are growing wise to my catching methods, so Potato is our lovely volunteer for today.

You'll need both hands to catch the bird originally, so put your tools where you want to be (I find a dry, flat piece of ground and just go on my elbows and knees. You might want a towel so you don't get them dirty or ruin their chest feathers if they decide to try and move) and then grab the duck. I fill a feed bowl and just grab them when they first start eating. Bring them over to your tools, and gently pull the legs behind so they're resting on their stomach. Unlike chickens, they don't really use their wings to try and escape unless they're really panicked, they just rest there and complain.
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It looks uncomfortable, but Potato didn't seem to mind apart from being mad I was messing with him. Hold enough that they can't pull away and they generally stop trying after a few kicks don't get anywhere.

[ATTACH=full]3948194[/ATTACH]Use a finger (I have tiny hands so I have to use my middle just to reach enough) to curl the toes of one foot so the nails are pointing up. Helps to see the quicks a bit easier, I've learned. I forgot to take a picture of the dewclaws, you just put your thumb between the foot and the back toe to lift it up amd snip.

[ATTACH=full]3948195[/ATTACH]Repeat with the second foot, usually you'll have to set the clippers down and readjust your hold a bit. This is when I tend to have escapees if I do.

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Lifted his legs a bit more than intended with this shot, but he still didnt make a single complaint. You can see how my pinky is curved to lift up the foot enough to get the nails where I want them.

I hold them the same way when trimming wings, just plop them down, spread the wing, put your foot between the wing and body and snip snip. Takes like 3 minutes a bird tops once you figure out how to do it comfortably

<blockquote data-quote="JacinLarkwell" data-source="post: 28033439" data-attributes="member: 559785">My older ones are growing wise to my catching methods, so Potato is our lovely volunteer for today. You&#039;ll need both hands to catch the bird originally, so put your tools where you want to be (I find a dry, flat piece of ground and just go on my elbows and knees. You might want a towel so you don&#039;t get them dirty or ruin their chest feathers if they decide to try and move) and then grab the duck. I fill a feed bowl and just grab them when they first start eating. Bring them over to your tools, and gently pull the legs behind so they&#039;re resting on their stomach. Unlike chickens, they don&#039;t really use their wings to try and escape unless they&#039;re really panicked, they just rest there and complain.[ATTACH=full]3948193[/ATTACH]It looks uncomfortable, but Potato didn&#039;t seem to mind apart from being mad I was messing with him. Hold enough that they can&#039;t pull away and they generally stop trying after a few kicks don&#039;t get anywhere.[ATTACH=full]3948194[/ATTACH]Use a finger (I have tiny hands so I have to use my middle just to reach enough) to curl the toes of one foot so the nails are pointing up. Helps to see the quicks a bit easier, I&#039;ve learned. I forgot to take a picture of the dewclaws, you just put your thumb between the foot and the back toe to lift it up amd snip.[ATTACH=full]3948195[/ATTACH]Repeat with the second foot, usually you&#039;ll have to set the clippers down and readjust your hold a bit. This is when I tend to have escapees if I do.[ATTACH=full]3948197[/ATTACH]Lifted his legs a bit more than intended with this shot, but he still didnt make a single complaint. You can see how my pinky is curved to lift up the foot enough to get the nails where I want them.I hold them the same way when trimming wings, just plop them down, spread the wing, put your foot between the wing and body and snip snip. Takes like 3 minutes a bird tops once you figure out how to do it comfortably</blockquote>

[QUOTE="JacinLarkwell, post: 28033439, member: 559785"] My older ones are growing wise to my catching methods, so Potato is our lovely volunteer for today. You'll need both hands to catch the bird originally, so put your tools where you want to be (I find a dry, flat piece of ground and just go on my elbows and knees. You might want a towel so you don't get them dirty or ruin their chest feathers if they decide to try and move) and then grab the duck. I fill a feed bowl and just grab them when they first start eating. Bring them over to your tools, and gently pull the legs behind so they're resting on their stomach. Unlike chickens, they don't really use their wings to try and escape unless they're really panicked, they just rest there and complain. [ATTACH type="full"]3948193[/ATTACH] It looks uncomfortable, but Potato didn't seem to mind apart from being mad I was messing with him. Hold enough that they can't pull away and they generally stop trying after a few kicks don't get anywhere. [ATTACH type="full"]3948194[/ATTACH]Use a finger (I have tiny hands so I have to use my middle just to reach enough) to curl the toes of one foot so the nails are pointing up. Helps to see the quicks a bit easier, I've learned. I forgot to take a picture of the dewclaws, you just put your thumb between the foot and the back toe to lift it up amd snip. [ATTACH type="full"]3948195[/ATTACH]Repeat with the second foot, usually you'll have to set the clippers down and readjust your hold a bit. This is when I tend to have escapees if I do. [ATTACH type="full"]3948197[/ATTACH] Lifted his legs a bit more than intended with this shot, but he still didnt make a single complaint. You can see how my pinky is curved to lift up the foot enough to get the nails where I want them. I hold them the same way when trimming wings, just plop them down, spread the wing, put your foot between the wing and body and snip snip. Takes like 3 minutes a bird tops once you figure out how to do it comfortably [/QUOTE]

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