Are they bored?

[Hennyhandler]

I have two ducklings in a brooder. They get to come out every day sometimes for the whole day, a couple of hours, or sometimes just one or two depending. They have always been super sweet but yesterday I saw on one of their tail feathers it looked like the fuzz had been picked of the feather shaft, I guess you could say, and it was just the shaft. Now, this wasn't all of them, just the longest ones, maybe ten of them and not the whole thing just the tip area. All the others on the tail were fine as far as I could tell. Well I thought with their feathers coming in maybe she was losing some of the fuzz or whatnot.
Today, I let them out for a swim and my Pekin would swim under the water and eat the grass I threw in but would sometimes grab my other duck's (the one with tail issue) foot and nibble as he stood up. Well, she nearly tipped over and would be squeaking and half honking but he would continue till she got away. Then later he would go after her tail feathers. Not in a harsh way just come up behind her and nibble. It didn't look like it hurt though she didn't care for it but I wondered if her couple of tail feathes looked the way they did because of this. Yet she sometimes will nibble on him or under him where his chest is at, including his tail at times.

I don't know. I am new to ducklings and just want to make sure everything is going alright and take care of problems before they get started. I am sorry this was so long and probably more than a little confusing but this was the only way I could think of to explain with details. So thanks for deciphering and any help.

 

[Amiga]

It is a possibility that they are bored. How big is the brooder?

Do they get salad? Sometimes that helps, according to Storey's Guide.

 

[Hennyhandler]

It is a play pen. I am starting to look for another one as a substitute since soon they will be too big for it. They get salad when they swim and are with me. Maybe I should provide some when I am gone??

Should I put it in a bowl or what? Mine are only about two weeks old so what should be given to them? Is there anything else besides food that I can put in there that will entertain them? Thanks so much.

 

[Amiga]

I found when my runners started acting bored I tied a piece of rope (making sure the ends would not fray - they can disassemble just about anything!) firmly to the side of their three foot high brooder (a large puppy playpen). They love it. They will noodle that piece of rope (about two feet long, tied so two ends hang down).

The warning here is - it cannot be something they can pull apart and ingest! And my runners will do that to anything they can. Puppy pads - great idea. Mine find a way to open them up and eat the insides.

Happily, I discovered their skill when they could only reach the edge of one pad.

Mine also like noodling washcloths. I used to hang a spare on the top of the playpen wall. Well, now they can hop up and pull it into the brooder.