Blood feathers?

[veronicasmom]

Went out a few mins ago and my runner female, Victoria, has blood where the stumps of her molted feathers are. She looks nasty. I have never seen this in any of my other molting ducks. I did take some pics with my phone, but I have no clue how to get phone pics on this. We did examine her closely and could see where the feathers had blood coming out, nothing at all on her skin, just on the feather shafts.
What could have caused this? My drake mating her and her not having much left for feathers? She is in a hard molt, looking awful. But acting fine, eating, wandering around, etc.

 

[Amykins]

You need to pull those feathers out IMMEDIATELY! Is the blood fresh or is it continuing even after cleaning the wound site? If it's bleeding from the skin that's fine, but if the blood is coming directly from the broken shaft it may not clot and she will exsanguinate. Do you have any quik-stop or some other coagulant?

 

[veronicasmom]

The blood is all clotted and dried. They were fine when I was doing chores this am, and when they were fed a snack at lunch, but saw this when we went out to feed dinner. So, it happened during the four hours we were gone. There is no new blood coming.
Just trying to figure out what could have happened. Nothing like a predator got to her, so it is curious. I am continuing to check her to make sure no new blood is starting up again.

 

[Quackers Mama]

 I did take some pics with my phone, but I have no clue how to get phone pics on this.

Click on the third icon with the picture of a mountain and sun. Then click "upload from this device", choose picture, then upload it. It'll then appear in your post when you click reply.

 

[veronicasmom]

Ack! Still won't let me do it.
Anyway, checked her again, blood is all dried and possibly washed off in some spots and she is just her regular self. I don't recall seeing her molt this heavily ever before. She's getting older, so maybe that's it.

 

[Amiga]

I know Romy is almost startling looking right now with her molt. My beloved said it looks like she exploded. Her feathers, that is. I might take a photo, but I almost feel like she'd hate it if I immortalized this most difficult-looking molt.

And I realized today that in four short months, they will all be about five years old. wow.

 

[veronicasmom]

Oh good, glad my runners are not the only ones looking so bad right now!
I think I figured out what happened. My crazy little one winged duck, Vanessa is INSANE. She has been on a terrorizing tear for the past few days. She is targeting my runner and runner cross. She does not want them anywhere near Virgil, my drake. But Virgil and Victoria are very bonded, so Vic is always near him. Apparently, Vanessa is not pleased. I caught her today holding on to the spot where Vic had the blood and pulling at her stumps. She was being horrible. She is molting too, but doesn't look quite so bad having one wing. I am keeping a close eye on them all now because if Vanessa gets the Muscovy girls mad, that could be dangerous, they are three times her size. But she is fearless and acting like an idiot.
Aren't ducks fun?????????

 

[Jessica89]

This may sounds stupid but I didn't even know they molt?
Obviously I know that they lose feathers but didn't realise they grow a whole new set?
Is this painful for them? Mine are 20 weeks old so their feathers are 'new' if that's the correct word?
Will they still molt this Autumn?
I hope your ducks are ok!

 

[veronicasmom]

I do not think it is painful for them to molt. They normally molt twice a year, the fall molt is the heaviest. That is what we are going through now. They typically stop laying when this starts. My ducks all molt at different times it seems, I had some molting a while ago, those were mainly the Muscovies. Now the other ducks are doing it.

I am just now sure why all of a sudden I am seeing this aggressive behavior from Vanessa. She's never done it before to this degree. My smallest duck and she is now the meanest. Go figure.