Terrible feathers?

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kristy2122

kristy2122

In the Brooder
5 Years
Aug 9, 2014
16
2
26
400


This is Plucky. We got her from a family that didn't want her. She was living with chickens and no water to play around in. We have had her about 3wks and noticed her feathers have gotten much worse than when we got her. I have not seen any bugs on her or in her feathers. I saw some tiny red bugs in their bedding when I cleaned out their house last week but not today. She has access to a large pond at our house and plenty of food and forage. Our other ducks look great. Any idea what she is dealing with? Or how to fix it?

Also, previous owners said she had just started laying but we have not received an egg from her yet.
 
She's gorgeous!

I would give her a few more weeks to adjust. It appears you're doing everything right when it comes to her care.

The laying might also pick up after she recovers from this molt.
 
Thanks! I was hoping it would all be better once the molt was over but I wanted to check. I'd hate for her to have mites or parasites.
 
I put diatomaceous earth wherever two boards come together, like at the base of walls, corners, under the watering station - wherever the mites may hide. I also, once before I started using the DE like that, wiped down the floor with neem and let it dry before replacing the bedding. I found mites hiding in a bale of straw, so that was removed.

I put extra DE down in corners, as that's where the ducks build nests.
 
This happened once, and no, I just pulled out all the bedding, tossed that straw bale, put DE in all the crevices, I think I wiped the floor with neem, and replaced the bedding. I checked the ducks and did not see mites on them - just saw them in the bedding.

That seems to have cleared it up. And I do spend loads of time with the ducks and have seen no evidence of mites in the meantime.

I know the little things are around, in the environment. but the DE seems to keep them at bay so far. I also put DE in the cracks between the floor and the door sill.
 

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