Duck with a feathers missing on lower chest

[Spiase20]

Hi,

I noticed that Swedish Blue female duck is missing a strip of feathers on her lower chest to belly. I can see the down in the upper part but skin in the lower. I checked for mite but didn't see anything (still will do preventative treatment of coop). I read that ducks who go broody can do this, but she just turned 6 months and hasn't started laying yet. I haven't seen the other ducks picking at her chest at all either.

Any ideas what could be the cause? Can it be mites I just didn't see? But it is only in that area.

Thanks for any help!

Sonia

 

[Isaac 0]

Picture? If they have plenty of bathing water, mites would be unlikely.

 

[Spiase20]

I will take a picture after work.

At the moment, I have a 3 ft by 3 ft kiddie pool for them to swim in that I change out every morning and night. Along with some 5 water gallon water dispensers and another long tub container of water.

We are currently building a pond with pumps and filters.

It kinda looks like someone did a inverse bikini stripe wax on her lower chest... and just left behind little pins and little feather there, with down on the upper section and no down on lower.

 

[chickens really]

Molting?

 

[Ratchnick]

Molting?

I don't think ducks go through a hard molt like chickens. I see lots of feathers over the yard but no bald spots.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When mine molt other than wing feathers I can’t usually even tell by looking at them. They will be feathers in the coop and on the ground but can’t really tell it by looking at my ducks

 

[chickens really]

I don't think ducks go through a hard molt like chickens. I see lots of feathers over the yard but no bald spots.

They definitely lose feathers. I'm thinking she is molting so don't worry.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Of course they lose feathers just don't get naked like chickens do.
https://morningchores.com/duck-molting/ for the OP in case she is wondering if this is molt.

 

[Thunderduck9]

One of my ducks (JUNIOR) has about no feathers from his head to his chest between molting,him pulling them out and fighting with everyone,Ya he’s the tattle tail so the rest of the ducks pull his feathers out when he runs to me to tell on them.

 

[Spiase20]

Hi!

So here are pictures