duck has feathers on the leg?!!

[goats rule 101]

Hi I got my ducks a long time ago and I have always noticed that one of my drakes has white feathers on his legs. I don't know what they are actually. Hes had them since I got him I just want to be sure its not too serious. He doesn't limp or anything i didn't get him as I duckling so I'm not sure if he was hatched like that. Anyone ever seen anything like this.
Thanks, Hannah!

I will see if I can post a picture too.

 

[Majd]

A picture will be great..... it might be the new generation of feathered feet ducks.... never let him go.... breed him and see what you get.... but make sure it's not few feathers stuck to the leg.

 

[goats rule 101]

Okay ill get a picture soon!!! It might take a while though.

 

[goats rule 101]

I would also like to add that he is almost a year old rouen drake. Ill put a pic on soon its hard to hold him and take a picture so sorry for the wait.

 

[learycow]

Feathered legs are not a common ocurance in ducks.
I've seen it a few times, one was a khaki campbell mix and the other was a cayuga
It shouldn't interfere with the health of the duck in any way so there's nothing to worry about. You just have a special duck thats different than most

 

[goats rule 101]

Ok thanks here are some pics I was able to get. Its not full of feathers if that's what they are, its about the same amount on each side.

 

[learycow]

Yup, those are feathered legs!
Nothing to worry about, they shouldn't effect him in any negative way
Very cool though as you don't often see feathered legs in ducks!

 

[Zombified]

Whoa, that's cool! I'd really like to know what would happen if you bred him. Would there be other ducks with feathered legs?

If you can, you should totally see if you can find a feathered-leg hen and see what you get. I wonder if it's like the merle gene in dogs, though? Where it causes health problems, such as blindness and deafness, or the harlequin gene in Great Danes, which also massively shortens the lifespan.

 

[goats rule 101]

If anyone in minnesota has a feathered leg female we could certainly try! Hes part of my first flock so I was worried that maybe something was wrong with him as I've never heard of feathers on their legs and none of my other rouens have them.

 

[Zombified]

In the meantime, definitely see what sort of ducklings he produces. I wonder if it even is a gene, or if it's just a random mutation?