Duck pulling other duck's feathers

[jennyman]

Help! My black swedish is getting the feathers behind her head pulled out. I have an all female flock on Mazuri feed. We have large run and coop for them. The others are only pulling her feathers in the pond. I have treated the area but not sure what else to do?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is this when play mating? Females will take on the roll of a drake an act just like one. Only thing I can think is separating the one that’s doing the damage but where she can still see an be close to the others.

 

[jennyman]

Is this when play mating? Females will take on the roll of a drake an act just like one. Only thing I can think is separating the one that’s doing the damage but where she can still see an be close to the others.

I was thinking of blocking off the pond for a day since it is only happening there? Give her a chance to heal? She is avoiding the pond currently. Sitting on the ramp.but not swimming.

 

[416bigbore]

Is this when play mating? Females will take on the roll of a drake an act just like one. Only thing I can think is separating the one that’s doing the damage but where she can still see an be close to the others.

Miss Piggy and Porky our two little Mallard hens do the same thing in the pool, they take turns giving each other rides.

 

[sierraforest]

I've been doing a ton of reading about this lately myself because one of our females was pulling a little too roughly on another girl's head when mounting her in their pond. Apparently, it can be due to so many factors: too small of a flock, very hot weather (so they might get stressed out), a change in food, an illness the other ducks detect, and on and on. For some reason unknown to us, our girl stopped that behavior one day, and all's been well. Our situation wasn't as bad as those photos look, though. I wish I could be of some help.

 

[jennyman]

I've been doing a ton of reading about this lately myself because one of our females was pulling a little too roughly on another girl's head when mounting her in their pond. Apparently, it can be due to so many factors: too small of a flock, very hot weather (so they might get stressed out), a change in food, an illness the other ducks detect, and on and on. For some reason unknown to us, our girl stopped that behavior one day, and all's been well. Our situation wasn't as bad as those photos look, though. I wish I could be of some help.

Thanks for the info! I'm not sure what's going in. So far she is fine when not in the pond so maybe it is play mating?! Any research that you saw that says what to do when they get rough? Really lost with it! Going to give them more greens, maybe some chick saver etc to see if its their diet?

 

[sierraforest]

Thanks for the info! I'm not sure what's going in. So far she is fine when not in the pond so maybe it is play mating?! Any research that you saw that says what to do when they get rough? Really lost with it! Going to give them more greens, maybe some chick saver etc to see if its their diet?

Unfortunately, I haven't come across any recommendations beyond separating the ducks. We didn't try that because our flock is so small as it is and the "bad" behavior didn't last very long after all. If it did continue, I personally would've started with watching them closely every time they went in the pond so I could step in if I saw one pulling on the other's head...but I work from home (I know lots of folks do right now but not everyone does, of course) and have the ability to do this for a day or two.

 

[416bigbore]

Miss Piggy and Porky our two little Mallard hens do the same thing in the pool, they take turns giving each other rides.