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We had 17 Pekin ducks hatch Mother's Day 2020 (pandemic incubation Science project). We kept 3 hens & 1 drake and rehomed the rest.
One of our hens is... "molting"?? I read other threads and I'm wondering it there's something more than molting going on. During the winter we consistently got 3-4 eggs per day, and somewhat frequently a double yoker (~3/mo). Now we're getting only 2/day.
Our ducks are free roam and have access to a .75 acre pond (only 6' diameter in the winter with the help of a bubbler here in Grand Rapids, Michigan). Is this amount of feather loss normal? I read it's uncomfortable for them, so I hate to pick her up for a thorough check over. Last time tried she lost a near hand full clump of her wing feathers.
We get a combination feed from the local elevator at a ratio of 3-2-1 layer pellets, sweet feed, corn crumbles, then I add Rooster Booster as well. Prior to the molting, I fed them 60/40 layer crumbles to sweet feed. Have I messed with their nutrition? Is she being bullied? Or is this just molting? The other 2 hens seem perfectly fine. She's not even our drake's favorite, if you know what I mean, so I know it's not his doing.
Attached are pics of Aflac (the hen in question), the flock, the free roam pond, and their nighttime housing (is it big enough for 4 Pekins?). Any insight you can give me is MUCH appreciated!
One of our hens is... "molting"?? I read other threads and I'm wondering it there's something more than molting going on. During the winter we consistently got 3-4 eggs per day, and somewhat frequently a double yoker (~3/mo). Now we're getting only 2/day.
Our ducks are free roam and have access to a .75 acre pond (only 6' diameter in the winter with the help of a bubbler here in Grand Rapids, Michigan). Is this amount of feather loss normal? I read it's uncomfortable for them, so I hate to pick her up for a thorough check over. Last time tried she lost a near hand full clump of her wing feathers.
We get a combination feed from the local elevator at a ratio of 3-2-1 layer pellets, sweet feed, corn crumbles, then I add Rooster Booster as well. Prior to the molting, I fed them 60/40 layer crumbles to sweet feed. Have I messed with their nutrition? Is she being bullied? Or is this just molting? The other 2 hens seem perfectly fine. She's not even our drake's favorite, if you know what I mean, so I know it's not his doing.
Attached are pics of Aflac (the hen in question), the flock, the free roam pond, and their nighttime housing (is it big enough for 4 Pekins?). Any insight you can give me is MUCH appreciated!
