2 questions about Rouen ducklings

[run_ac_run]

We are "surrogate parents" to some ducks that belong to a friend. we have 40 Rouen babies, about half 5 weeks old, half 2 weeks old.

Of the 40, about 15 of them have a bald spot right on the top of their heads. (about nickel sized on the older ducks, dime sized on the younger ones) No where else on their bodies. Is this something to worry about? What could be the cause?


Also, none of them appear to be feathering out. Is 5 weeks too early to get feathers on a Rouen? Ready for them to move on to thier own house/pond as we are chicken people around here!

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

 

[shicks0211]

They'll be fuzzy..about 4 weeks or so you'll notice the tail feathers starting to come in and the breast feathers..but the rest will be fuzzy for a couple more weeks..although at 5 weeks you should see the beginnings of wing feathers..they start coming in at 3 or 4 weeks ..as far as the bald spots, i'd say just wait it out and see if the adult feathers come in fine..unless there is feather picking by the others i think it's just part of them looking scruffy trying to get their feathers in. There is a crested gene that mutates at some points in some ducks..and then they get like maybe a bald spot rather than a crest, but i don't really see that happening with a rouen..of course i suppose it's possible.