Black spots on Fawn and White Indian Runner drakelet's bill

[Papaye]

Hello.

On MAY 14th, I was lucky enough to have a beautiful, perfect Fawn and White Indian Runner drakelet brought to my home.

Here he is :

His name is Patch, and if his original owner is not lying, he is about two-and-a-half-months-old.

He is Fawn and White coloured, but even though he is still in his juvenile plumage, you can see his head and his rump are black.
...I know that is a different Fawn and White colour than some of you know... and if I am not mistaken, you would actually call this one "Emory Penciled"? (...Or is it "Emery Penciled"?)

In any case, he is really pretty... and he will be much more beautiful than he is now once he wears his adult plumage.

(Despite this picture, none of the feathers on his tail is actually curling up for the time being : Patch is, just, currently molting; so some feathers can look misplaced.)

...Luck is the reason I have him now.

I had actually been searching for a Fawn and White Runner drake for three years, but it is only because people I know have send me a picture of "their new girl" I could get what I had wanted for so long : I recognized him to be a boy (because of his black head), and so, I proposed to make an exchange with one of my juvenile Runner girls.

...The exchange was thankfully accepted - I'm so very grateful! -, and I finally got my Fawn and White Runner boy!

I am very happy with Patch...
I can't stop looking at him...!! (Oh my God is he so perfect...!!!)

Nevertheless, I worry about just one thing : he has big, black spots at the center of his bill.

Here is the best - the closest - picture I could take :

...I don't care about aesthetics : black spots on his bill or not, Patch is - in my opinion - a very fine boy.
I'm really happy with him - I insist...

But I don't know how he was fed while growing up, and if he has any issue because of his diet (to the kidneys or to the liver, for example?)
...And I know he was mated by a one-year-old drake in his original owner's home... (Thus... he could have been hurt?)

So : I worry these black spots could mean Patch's health is not what it seems, and he could need treatments...?

...Thank you in advance to the one who will answer this post!!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Hi, if he's had this since you got him and it seems like just the colouring on his bill, that's probably all it is. Think of it as freckles! Happens a lot in multi-coloured ducks.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The spots are freckles. Ducks get them when their bills are exposed to UV rays because their bills are comprised mostly of keratin. He is also definitely Emory Pencilled not Fawn and White.

 

[Papaye]

Hi, if he's had this since you got him and it seems like just the colouring on his bill, that's probably all it is. Think of it as freckles! Happens a lot in multi-coloured ducks.

I got him two days ago.

This morning, I have asked his original owner what he has been feeding him before solding him...
(I'm waiting for an answer.)
I don't know if he fed him adequatly, since he does not sound like he knows a lot about (his) ducks...?

I own a White Indian Runner drake that has blue spots - freckles - on his bill, but they really don't look like the black spots Patch is showing!

I know it could mean Patch has an issue, so I prefer to ask.

Thank you for answering!

The spots are freckles. Ducks get them when their bills are exposed to UV rays because their bills are comprised mostly of keratin.

I know, but they look very different from the ones my White drake has.

So, I'm not sure they are freckles?

I contacted his original owner this morning, in order to know what he has been feeding him before selling him...
From what I know, he does not sound like he would know what to feed a duckling (but I could be mistaken)... so I do wonder if he would not have been feeding Patch with layer pellets?

I would not worry about a hen or an oldest drake getting black spots on their bill... but I was surprised to see these big, black spots on a drakelet yellow bill!

He is also definitely Emory Pencilled not Fawn and White.

To my understanding, what is called "Emory Penciled" is a phase of "Fawn and White"?

In my country, we call them "Panaché" or "Pie Marron" - meaning "Brown Pied".

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Patch's original owner is not replying to me, and I don't think he is going to...

Nevertheless, the person who has brought him to me told me the place where Patch is coming from "was not a very nice place".
From what she told me, even the dog was too thin; so... yeah : Patch probably really has not been fed adequatly until now.

...I had already assumed the black spots on his bill were not freckles, but now, I am sure of that.

I can only hope the poor boy has no hidden health issue...!

Here he is today :

He looks and sounds healthy, but I still worry about his kidneys, specifically...

...But I am taking care of Patch now, and I will monitor his health very carefully.

(If somebody has any advice...?)

 

[Miss Lydia]

He is gorgeous and I bet with your care he'll be healthy very soon. But he looks good. Can you get a good picture of his bill?Is this black spot soft?

 

[Papaye]

He is gorgeous and I bet with your care he'll be healthy very soon. But he looks good.

I will do my very best...!

I think he needs to gain some weight, at least... but he has an unlimited access to his food, so I am not worrying about him starving now he lives with me.

Can you get a good picture of his bill?

I will try!

Is this black spot soft?

From the look of them, no : the black spots just seem to be melanine.

I would need to touch them to confirm, but it will have to wait : for now, I prefer to be extra-careful with Patch and keep my distance from him - apart from herding him, and opening and closing the door of his run - so to not stress him too much.
(Boy had to change home two times in half a week, so I prefer to let him alone for the time being...)

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I could finally take a (kind of) better picture of Patch's bill :

...Or :

(Taking a good, closer picture is still hard...)

So... do I have to worry?
And now I am the one feeding Patch... will the black spots go away eventually...?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe not but if they aren’t causing any problems I wouldn’t worry he is a very handsome boy.

 

[Apolinne]

He is gorgeous and I bet with your care he'll be healthy very soon. But he looks good. Can you get a good picture of his bill?Is this black spot soft?

What does it mean if the spot is soft ? Nothing good probably, right ?