Ok, about a month and a half ago I tried force moulting my ducks so they could be ready for spring. Its never below the high 30s here ever so I wasn't worried about doing this in January.
Well, only my one fawn and white runner actually moulted, she looked the worst anyway and was totally bald from my dang drake, so I'm glad it at least worked for her. My hybrids however refused to take a hint, didn't moult and continued to lay. Now I am noticing every morning when I let them out that they have fewer feathers around their lower necks and upper bodies, they look plucked and I think they are doing it to themselves or getting picked on at night. all they have is skin and fluff around those areas now.
My runner moulted evenly and it was obvious from hanging flight feathers and the emergence of new pin feathers on her head. Could anyone say if this odd pattern of missing feathers on my hybrids is moulting or stress/pecking? They are STILL laying their egg a day even though I stopped with the artificial light back in early January. There are no feathers being added to their nightly nest either, fyi.
My main concern is I can't let them get into their pool because without enough feathers they sink when the drake gets them and they can't get out again or could drown. They also look awful and I don't want them to be so depleted since they are still laying.
Well, only my one fawn and white runner actually moulted, she looked the worst anyway and was totally bald from my dang drake, so I'm glad it at least worked for her. My hybrids however refused to take a hint, didn't moult and continued to lay. Now I am noticing every morning when I let them out that they have fewer feathers around their lower necks and upper bodies, they look plucked and I think they are doing it to themselves or getting picked on at night. all they have is skin and fluff around those areas now.
My runner moulted evenly and it was obvious from hanging flight feathers and the emergence of new pin feathers on her head. Could anyone say if this odd pattern of missing feathers on my hybrids is moulting or stress/pecking? They are STILL laying their egg a day even though I stopped with the artificial light back in early January. There are no feathers being added to their nightly nest either, fyi.
My main concern is I can't let them get into their pool because without enough feathers they sink when the drake gets them and they can't get out again or could drown. They also look awful and I don't want them to be so depleted since they are still laying.
