I have two white ducks that I got as babies. One has outgrown the other by twice. 3 months old. The little one is losing its down and no other feathers coming in around it's wings and breast? the area is pink. Is there a disease i should be looking for?
I have read about developmental difficulties. There could be an infection involved. If you can get to a vet, that would be good. Otherwise and until then, my usual approach is vitamins-electrolytes-probiotics, experimenting with adding a little extra nutrition, checking their environment. Some ducks are just more sensitive to things than others. And some just don't thrive or develop as well. Little Elf was about two weeks behind in development compared to the other runners. This went on for most of their first year. Now, she's just as sharp and well developed as any of them. A fecal test ought to show if there is a parasite or bacterial problem.
I think you can and should certainly address nutrition first, but I will share that I had one out of my Khaki Campbell hatch that did not feather in normally. It was not pink skin exposed tho, so I am not sure what's going on in your case. After it was really obvious that this duckling wasn't developing at the same rate as the others, I conferred with other experts here and ultimately decided that culling was the best option. What I'm trying to say is that here where it gets cold, a duckling that isn't well feathered is not likely to survive. Speceider did tell me that he has observed the phenomenon in the wild population as well, so that could be a sign that genetics are affecting feathering processes and rates... Meaning that you likely do not want that duck reproducing in your flock. Ultimately you will need to decide what is best for you and your flock. Do start with nutrition and observe, hopefully that will sort itself out quickly.
