Duck getting picked on by fellow females

[737Jetgirl]

We have 3 female Indian Runner Ducks and the smallest of the three has a bunch of feathers missing. We think the other two are pecking at her. I’m assuming we should try and separate them, but not sure for how long and how she will do by herself without another duck. We have had unusually cold weather in Kentucky and I’m not sure if this is causing them stress.

 

[sourland]

How large is their pen/coop? Is it possible to partition it into two sections with wire so that they can see one another?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Is she missing feathers on her neck? I only ask because one of my girls has been molting this last week despite the weather.

 

[737Jetgirl]

How large is their pen/coop? Is it possible to partition it into two sections with wire so that they can see one another?

The pen is plenty big, so that could work during the day. It may be hard to do the partition with their house. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A nice size dog crate in the coop should keep her from being picked on.
Separating her during the day and putting her in with them at night may just make things worse for her.

 

[Banana01]

Are you sure they are picking feathers? My females are sensual with each other, and clean each others feathers, and lay on each other in the water.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I'd definitely take some time to observe the ducks to see what is actually happening before separating.
@Banana01 is correct. Females display mating behaviors and that could be why feathers are missing. Also, it's usually recommended not to separate and to let them work things out unless there is excesive aggression.

 

[CoriM]

How bad is the feather picking? Does she have raw flesh exposed? I had an issue with a female pulling feathers on another female and it took me a long time to understand because I never witnessed it.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

A nice size dog crate in the coop should keep her from being picked on.
Separating her during the day and putting her in with them at night may just make things worse for her.

You suggested this for me and it worked fabulously, at one point i put the lone offender in there, seemed to turn the tables on my situation.

 

[KaleIAm]

My all female flock pulls feathers on each other during mating behaviors. I just let them do it. They occasionally behave very rude and possessively over resources like water/food/me and so I put out extra food bowls and water buckets. Unless someone is getting injured, which has never happened for me, I leave them together.