18 month old call duck hen growing drake feather

[Strawberry74]

From what I've been reading it's possible for hens to develop a drake feather. I have a 18 month old black Magpie hen that was laying eggs all summer and is now developing a drake feather after her molt. I have reduced the number of ducks and drakes, but I still have both in the flock. Does this mean she won't lay fertilized eggs any longer or is this just a strange phase? I'll be really sad if she doesn't lay eggs and give me more babies. She's so beautiful and such a great specimen of black magpie. She is really bossy but always has been. Her mama recently died at only two and a half years of age during her molt.

 

[Yardmom]

I don't know if a drake curl is for sure a sign of the end of laying. I have a hen that this happened to. She is a Welsh Harlequin and males have different colors. She got drake colors as well. Her size and her voice have not changed. I don't think she has laid any eggs after the changes.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

One of my White coloured Runner hens had been turning into a drake, some months ago...
...Poor girl has died before the turning was complete.

What I remember is :
• feathers on her tail were curling up;
• at the end, she did not quack anymore : her voice had indeed become raspy like a drake's one (at least until she stopped vocalizing altogether);
• she had entirely stopped laying eggs.

I know she was not turning into a drake to become a dominant duck - given I already had several drakes...

I think she had an infection or something; maybe a tumor...?
(In any case, she clearly died from that...)

...Sadly, that is more common what we think...

I am NOT telling you your duck is dying, but still : I would monitor her... just in case, you know?

...Good luck.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

@Miss Lydia @KathiQuacks @Jenbirdee

 

[Jenbirdee]

i’ve heard of this but never seen it. i will follow your thread to see what others say and how she gets along . please let us know.

 

[SilverBirds]

With chickens' females can develop male traits when they have suffered from damaged reproductive organs and an imbalance of hormones. I'd assume that the same thing happens with ducks.

 

[sourland]

With chickens' females can develop male traits when they have suffered from damaged reproductive organs and an imbalance of hormones. I'd assume that the same thing happens with ducks.

Saw this happen to a friend's RIR hen when she was about 5 years old. She stopped laying and 'appeared' and acted like a rooster. This also happened after a molt with her. Although I have never heard of it, I would guess that it could also happen with a duck.

 

[Strawberry74]

Well oddly that feather is gone now. Maybe it was just a feather growing in and was out of place or it fell out? Oh well.

 

[Jenbirdee]

one of my 9 year old welsh harley girls suddenly has suspicious curled tail feathers now…. shortly after I added a Drake to my all female flock…

 

[Jenbirdee]

this is her , name is Perdy