Duck being picked on—pulling feathers

[quackiemama]

Where we re in Western NC a lot of the systems that head towards us from the west hit the mountains and will either go north or south so a lot of times we get missed with the worse. We usually get our worse snow storms from the gulf with a lot of moisture with it. This time we are under a winter storm warning and it's coming from Gulf so no telling what we'll get. I know one thing I am sure looking forward to spring.

I 100% agree with you! We are in the same kind of area where it can go either way with these storm systems. I hope everybody and their ducks stay plenty warm. We are expecting up to 8 inches of snow tonight and then ice on top of that. My ducks are swimming it up now before I have to dump the pool water for the below freezing temps coming our way

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just dumped the pool here, they had a blast this morning. Stay warm and dry ya'll.

 

[Duckworth]

I just dumped the pool here, they had a blast this morning. Stay warm and dry ya'll.

I still can’t lift the mortar mixing pan out of the duck pen. It’s full and frozen solid. Our outside water has been off for months and won’t go back on again until May. For now, my ducks just sit on their feet and act like they are swimming across their straw.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bet that’s a hoot!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I laugh at mine ice skating and hold my breathe at the same time hoping none of us falls and gets hurt.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I still can’t lift the mortar mixing pan out of the duck pen. It’s full and frozen solid. Our outside water has been off for months and won’t go back on again until May. For now, my ducks just sit on their feet and act like they are swimming across their straw.

Hey Duckworth, nice to meet you
I'm late to the party usual
It sounds like you have it all under control and have received some good advice. I only have one thing to add though. You might want to watch her close for a bit for any signs of illness just in case. It seems like they instinctively know when there is a weakness in one and will sometimes start picking on the weak or injured to weed it out of the flock.
That's why they hide their symptoms really well when they are sick and a lot of times we don't even notice until it's too late.
I found this out when one of mine started getting excessively picked on. It turned out she was very ill.
With the feathers actually being eaten its probably safe to say it was just a nutritional/boredom thing but I wanted to mention it just in case.

 

[Duckworth]

Hey Duckworth, nice to meet you
I'm late to the party usual
It sounds like you have it all under control and have received some good advice. I only have one thing to add though. You might want to watch her close for a bit for any signs of illness just in case. It seems like they instinctively know when there is a weakness in one and will sometimes start picking on the weak or injured to weed it out of the flock.
That's why they hide their symptoms really well when they are sick and a lot of times we don't even notice until it's too late.
I found this out when one of mine started getting excessively picked on. It turned out she was very ill.
With the feathers actually being eaten its probably safe to say it was just a nutritional/boredom thing but I wanted to mention it just in case.

Thank you. She is looking better and better, so I am hoping that she is healthy and on her way to being fully feathered again. But I will take your advice and keep a good eye on her. I wondered about the same thing, but she seems to have turned a corner with this whole episode. It is possible that she has been going through an untimely molt. Time will tell.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I realized yesterday and this morning I have 2 Runners in molt seems like a crazy time of year to start but I had Muscovys molting in Dec 2018 because of the crazy weather. Chickens too.

 

[CoriM]

@Duckworth What is the status of your duck? I have a situation with two pekins and after months of trying to diagnose the skin problems one of them was having, and lots of money spent at the vet, I now think it might be due to the other duck pulling her feathers and down. They've been separated a couple of weeks and the one looks so much better.