Bare Backed Pekin

[thomasboyle]

One of my female pekins is missing her feathers on her back and left side. When I first noticed it, the feathers were gone under her wing and the sight was black and blue. I separated her from the others, and after 3-4 days, the black and blue is gone. I have never seen her get picked on by any of the other ducks. The only thing I can think of is she is a favorite for the drake, and was getting worn out from his advances. I have 1 drake and 6 females. She is eating and drinking fine, and I let her out with the rest of the Pekins during the day, but she has a separate sleeping area in the coop. Any opinions?

 

[Amiga]

I think you have called it. Drakes will select one female and spend way too much time on top of that one, to her detriment. Keep an eye on the situation - she needs your protection.

 

[thomasboyle]

Thanks. I have two choices - isolate the female (right now I am keeping her in a separate pen along with another female) or isolate the male from all the females when inside the coop / shed. In either case, I let them all out for a three hours or more each day to swim in the pool, eat greens etc. I'm wondering if he will just turn to another female while this one is away, and the problem will simply repeat itself with the other females. Will I have any issues keeping the male by himself without any other duck while they are in the coop? What about as winter arrives - will he be warm enough by himself?

 

[Amiga]

It is largely up to him as to whether he will continue his obsession. Bean does not go crazy with Carmella or Hazel, and now he's cooled off for the rest of the year (apparently and I hope), I have been letting them be together in the night pen without dividers. I use fencing to divide them so that they could lie side by side. But my flock does not huddle. The closest they get is nose to tail. That's one reason I keep them in a shelter that stays above 40F. But that's another story.

 

[thomasboyle]

Thanks for the advice. I will keep the female and her female companion separate until she has grown back her feathers, and then re-integrate both back into the night coop with everyone else. If the male latches on to another female, I will kick him out into his own bachelor pad!