Ducking filling out feathers

[Boepple]

We just recently got duckling we have had them for 2 weeks. Today one of them has started pulling out his own wing feathers. Is this normal or should I be concerned? It started doing it this evening.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What are you feeding and what is the temp in your brooder?

 

[Isaac 0]

And do you notice any external parasites under their wings or near the vent area?

 

[Boepple]

What are you feeding and what is the temp in your brooder?

They are currently inside in our basement. The basement is cool but what I have been reading we might need to move the light warmer higher. The pen they are in is large enough for them to get away from the light but am going to try hanging the light higher now that they are bigger.

 

[Boepple]

And do you notice any external parasites under their wings or near the vent area?

I don’t see anything but I will check again tomorrow with better lighting to double check. If there is what should I do?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So do you have a way of keeping track of the temps? You want them warm still at 2 weeks old

 

[Isaac 0]

I don’t see anything but I will check again tomorrow with better lighting to double check. If there is what should I do?

It's fairly uncommon with ducklings unless they are kept in horrid conditions and not allowed to bathe in clean water often, If they did you would want to either dust them with an active pyrethrin based ingredient or you could spray them with a permethrin livestock spray.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have they been in the bath yet? maybe your little one is itchy and a nice warm bath may make it feel better? Just a thought. Start them out with warm water just up to tops of legs they will enjoy the nice bath. Make sure to get them out before the water cools down too much pat dry and right back under heat lamp to preen and finish drying.

 

[Boepple]

Have they been in the bath yet? maybe your little one is itchy and a nice warm bath may make it feel better? Just a thought. Start them out with warm water just up to tops of legs they will enjoy the nice bath. Make sure to get them out before the water cools down too much pat dry and right back under heat lamp to preen and finish drying.

Thanks fort he help no I have not given them a bath yet. We will give that a go tomorrow. He seems to be fine now his feathers may have just been wet and it looked worse then it actually was cause the next morning it looked normal again.

 

[Isaac 0]

Thanks fort he help no I have not given them a bath yet. We will give that a go tomorrow. He seems to be fine now his feathers may have just been wet and it looked worse then it actually was cause the next morning it looked normal again.

At that age, they should be getting nice warm baths every few days to maintain clean feathers, they should also have 24/7 acsess to nose deep water.