Drake never fully completed his molt?

[TheDaringDucks]

I have a drake that constantly has me questioning ducks as a whole, but he seems to be an outlier among my flock, so maybe he is just an oddball, but I'd love some thoughts.

Today's mystery, his molting patterns.

The first year I had him from a duckling 2024 to 2025, he molted as one would expect going from eclipse colors to nuptial colors and back to eclipse with nothing out of the ordinary (other than his coloring. He is my bronze cheeked boy from this post/comment).

But this year after going through his eclipse molt, in late spring with all my other drakes, it appears like he never fully molted, instead appearing to have a continuing 5 o'clock shadow mixed into his nuptial green head. And upon closer inspection, some of the feathers that did come through appear to be "mixed" as in they have the eclipse tone/pattern of brown but with the very fine zigzaggy pattern overlayed on it that my drakes normally have on pale gray/white feathers.

And the latest puzzle about him I've noticed from today is that he has started molting again in the dead of winter? He seems to be losing that 5 o'clock shadow which is making his bronze cheeks finally show again as well as molting parts of his body feathers that looked mixed. It just seems odd.

I've never heard of a duck having a split molt of like 80% in spring and then the final 20% months later? Is there something that could cause this?

I might chalk it up to his possible mixed heritage. But I do worry it may be health related.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Oooh handsome boy . I see what you mean. Interesting how some ducks do molt in strange ways. I have a silver Appleyard who skipped two years but now she’s fine. Might have something to do with daylight. When My silver Apple yard had a prolapse, and I tried to trick her into stop laying by keeping her in the dark for a few weeks and that is when her non-molting problem started.
I also have some who take months to complete theirs and others who quickly finish up. I wonder if anyone else has one like yours . I don’t think it’s a health problem just my opinion.

 

[Goosebaby]

One of my drakes and one of my ducky girls are currently molting, everyone else had the sense to do it in late summer/ fall.
I had one girl who molted only once in her life and passed away last year, she was a chronic layer and had issues resulting from that which was the root of her not molting.

One of my other hens “Bee a welsh harlequin” looks different every time she molts and changes when she molts every year so genetics, health, hormones, daylight, diet, and a million other things can influence when and how they molt I think.
I would focus on body condition and if his feathers are developed normally as an indicator if something’s wrong, if his feathers are ratty or have stress bars and he has problems keeping his weight up there’s a problem, if everything’s normal it’s probably nothing.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I've never heard of a duck having a split molt of like 80% in spring and then the final 20% months later? Is there something that could cause this?

I might chalk it up to his possible mixed heritage. But I do worry it may be health related.

That actually happens...

I have re-homed my 3-years-old Trout coloured Indian Runner drake on December 9th, and boy had still not completed his molt then...
...not sure he will even do complete it before Spring?

Sometimes, molts are delayed; and it is not always due to stress or any health issue : sudden temperature changes, individual genetic, or the excessive use of artificial lights (and, I would guess, artificial heat too?) can affect the way a duck molts...!

► If your drake doesn't look stressed or sick, and has a good enough diet, I would not worry about him.

But just in case : what do you currently feed him?
And does he have an unlimited access to his food - even during the nights?

 

[TheDaringDucks]

I don’t think it’s a health problem just my opinion.

I would focus on body condition and if his feathers are developed normally as an indicator if something’s wrong, if his feathers are ratty or have stress bars and he has problems keeping his weight up there’s a problem, if everything’s normal it’s probably nothing.

If your drake doesn't look stressed or sick, and has a good enough diet, I would not worry about him.

I haven't had any health issues with him other than a limp way back, like a year or more ago, that he no longer has. He's otherwise a completely healthy duck with silky smooth, well-oiled feathers (just weird coloration). His eyes are bright and clear, and his bill and feet are well moisturized and exfoliated (no flakiness or cracking). So I think you are all right that it's not health-related.

That actually happens...

I have re-homed my 3-years-old Trout coloured Indian Runner drake on December 9th, and boy had still not completed his molt then...
...not sure he will even do complete it before Spring?

Sometimes, molts are delayed; and it is not always due to stress or any health issue : sudden temperature changes, individual genetic, or the excessive use of artificial lights (and, I would guess, artificial heat too?) can affect the way a duck molts...!

Oh, that's fascinating that you've had a drake going through the same thing! I'd love to see pics of yours if you have any?

Hmmm, as for mine, we haven't had any sudden temp changes. Winter has been unusually mild for us this year, though, so perhaps that is affecting him. I don't have any lights in the coop itself, but about 20 feet away we do have some string lights in the garden. The light barely reaches the coop, but I guess it keeps it from ever being completely pitch black at night. And I don't use any artificial heat sources either. So probably not that. Good to know those things can be factors!

what do you currently feed him?
And does he have an unlimited access to his food - even during the nights?

He gets a diet of Nutrena duck pellets and some dried mealworms or black soldier fly larva (a ratio of like 20 scoops of pellets to 1 scoop of worms). He does have access to it at all times, night and day. I occasionally feed him peas, but that's like once a month and only like 1/2 cup (US).

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Oh, that's fascinating that you've had a drake going through the same thing!

Could be several, actually : it would indeed be hard to see on a White colored drake; besides, I also own another Runner drake that I don't actually even know if his molting is currently delayed or not, given I just can't find pictures of similarly coloured drakes on the Internet... (If I am not mistaken, his colour is what is called "Cinnamon" in English.)

And now I think about it : even one of my Cayuga drakes has probably still not completed his nuptial molt, since he has not regained most of his shine contrary to my other Cayuga drake...?

I'd love to see pics of yours if you have any?

...The last pictures I took of my boy was in November - his molting had already stopped then -, but I sadly could not take any one that would be good enough to post here...!

Hmmm, as for mine, we haven't had any sudden temp changes. Winter has been unusually mild for us this year, though, so perhaps that is affecting him.

I had noticed that my Trout drake had stopped molting just after an abrupt drop in temperatures : we indeed suddenly had very cold, negative temperatures here...

And I guess his body just decided that "Stop everything! Too cold! We need to keep feathers! And conserve proteins!", and thus stopped mid-molt so to not take any risk with his health...?

I don't have any lights in the coop itself, but about 20 feet away we do have some string lights in the garden. The light barely reaches the coop, but I guess it keeps it from ever being completely pitch black at night.

Are your ducks not afraid to see these lights during the nights...?
I know mines are terrified of flashlights!