Balding Call Duck Drake??? Help I am scared!!!!

[MoodyBroody622]

Help! My call duck drake Owen, is balding. He has scttered patches of bald spots on his tiny duck head. I dont know how old he is. I have been assuming it was molting. I sprayed them to rinse them off but not that hard! Could this be the cause??? What is wrong with Owen??? I have to take him to show him off two weeks from now is there anyway I can help him grow his feathers back?

 

[Amiga]

What did you spray him with?

 

[Sweetfolly]

How many other ducks do you have? Could it be that he is being picked on, or that another more dominant drake is mounting him and ripping the feathers off of his head? In one of my Call pens, there is one hen (out of six) that is the drakes "favorite"

and her head is half-bald right now. There is never any blood or anything - he just pulls the feathers clean off her head and leaves bald spots. It grows back when she molts.

I used to have drakes do the same thing to eachother - just a thought.

Besides the bald spots, does he seem healthy and active? Clear eyes, normal poop? Do they have access to swimming water and do they preen and keep themselves in good condition? If not, mites/lice could be a concern. There is a good article on mites/lice that can affect ducks here: http://www.callducks.net/ectop.htm

 

[MoodyBroody622]

What did you spray him with?

It was just the regular hose, i really just kind of poured the normal run of water out of the hose on him he didnt seem to mind. Now im starting to think that wasnt the cause

 

[MoodyBroody622]

How many other ducks do you have? Could it be that he is being picked on, or that another more dominant drake is mounting him and ripping the feathers off of his head? In one of my Call pens, there is one hen (out of six) that is the drakes "favorite"

and her head is half-bald right now. There is never any blood or anything - he just pulls the feathers clean off her head and leaves bald spots. It grows back when she molts.

I used to have drakes do the same thing to eachother - just a thought.

Besides the bald spots, does he seem healthy and active? Clear eyes, normal poop? Do they have access to swimming water and do they preen and keep themselves in good condition? If not, mites/lice could be a concern. There is a good article on mites/lice that can affect ducks here: http://www.callducks.net/ectop.htm

Thank you so much. I have a pair of calls, so its just him and his wifey She is sitting right now. He has normal poop, clear eyes, and yes he has been very active and swimming I clean there pools twice a week every week. Could it be molting? Ive always had ducks and never had one have this before

 

[Amiga]

Is there something he might be rubbing his head on?

 

[Sweetfolly]

It was just the regular hose, i really just kind of poured the normal run of water out of the hose on him he didnt seem to mind. Now im starting to think that wasnt the cause

I spray my ducks with the hose all the time, they love it!

And it's never power-washed the feathers off their heads!

I agree with Amiga - could it be that there's something he's rubbing on? I've seen this in ducklings who rub their heads on their feeder or waterer while they're eating. It could even be the edge of their pool, or he could be dabbling in between something and sticking his head in a tight space and rubbing the feathers off... In any case, it doesn't sound like he's sick at all, so that's good!

 

[MoodyBroody622]

I checked his pen and I just cant find anything he could be doing that on! Is it just molting?

 

[Sweetfolly]

I checked his pen and I just cant find anything he could be doing that on! Is it just molting?

Is there any way you could take a picture and upload it here?

 

[Amiga]

Another idea is mites. Can you get a really close look, perhaps with a magnifying glass?

Does any other animal have access to the outside of the pen that might grab a hunk of feathers?