Do ducks molt and lose feathers?

[babyboy1_mom]

I have a pair of Runner ducks and starting yesterday morning, there was a lot of feathers in their pen. At first I thought that something might have tried to pull one of them through a hole or crack, but no evidence on the outside of the pen.

This morning when I went out, then there was a lot of feathers inside the pen again. (I had cleaned the ones up from yesterday.) Neither one looks ragged from feather loss, but one of them is definitely losing feathers.

My hen has not layed in about 9 days now, so I am thinking that this is a molt. (She normally lays almost every day.)

So, do ducks molt like chickens and lose their feathers or should I be more concerned about it being a something trying to get my ducks?

Thanks for all help in advance.

Dorothy

 

[LV426]

Yes they do molt.

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

yes they molt mine are molting now

 

[BantyHugger]

Yeah they Molt. My grand parents think we lose one every time.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

Thanks for the replies. I have owned chickens for quite a while, but this is the first time that I have ever owned ducks and I was worried that something was trying to get my favorite 2 ducks.

I guess that explains why I haven't gotten an egg from my hen in about 9 days also...lol

Dorothy