Ducky issues

[Canadian Wind]

Unsure. My Magpie had a fairly 'smooth' moult, just dropping feathers but still looking slick. Others look like they went through the washer and slept on their feathers wrong!

 

[Miss Lydia]

You might want to remove the drake and see if that helps. Many on here have to separate their drakes from the others until the worst of mating season is over. How old are the younger ones.
Do you notice feathers laying around? I hardly notice my Runners and Buffs molting but when my Muscovy molt in fall it's like a pillow fight Mainly the large flight feathers.
A picture of the duck your worried about would help. It takes a good month for molt from beginning to end.

 

[meggles_b5309]

I don't notice any unusual amount of feathers, and this particular hen has looked moulty for several months. She eats, swims, and lays with the best of them, but I would consider her broody (at least, what I assume is broody - she lays secret clutches and hides them and i've found as many as 9 eggs). Do broody hens look rough?

here are a few pics of her. She's just not well kempt, and the back of her head is pretty bald from being mated by her sister hens. She is also very skiddish of the new ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They can be pretty rough on each other very similar to how a drake would be.
Being broody can def take its toll on them especially if they don't come out and eat at least 1X a day. Is she actually sitting on any of the nest you find?

 

[meggles_b5309]

She goes back to all the nests I've found (they were completely free ranging before but now I have a portion of the yard fenced off, but I give them field days now and then). She won't sit on her nests all day, but will keep collecting clutches.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If none of the eggs are viable (by candling) why not take all eggs up and destroy the nest so she gets back to normal. It won’t happen over night but the hormones will eventually subside.

 

[meggles_b5309]

Hi Miss Lydia! I have removed all the eggs. She just checks her old haunts it seems.

I finally picked her up today and she is icky feeling (her feathers aren't smooth and fluffy, and her color has become dull). After some research, it looks like she might have an infected preen gland.

I think I will separate her and apply BANIXX (unless someone has a recommendation that is better for treating a possible bacterial/fungal infection without going to a vet - I would love any suggestions).

Thank you!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Start her on some extra protein to see if that helps feather trouble. It may be she just needs a good molt too.
Can you post a picture of her preen gland? you might try using warm compresses on the preen gland if it's clogged.

 

[meggles_b5309]

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the dealy getting an update! Been a busy week.

So I spent some time watching black duck (yes it's her name ) and it turns out she seems to be at the verrrry bottom of the pecking order with the other ducks. Firstly, the new ducks bully the old ones out of the pools, and even if they let them swim, black duck seems to only be permitted entry when the other old hens are done splashing around. I took some steps this week to ensure she got plenty of bath time and boy did she preen and preen and preen. I also give her some extra protein every day (which she greedily eats, even moreso than her sisters). She is already looking brighter and her feathers are much more water repellant (she had a little case of wet feather due to lack of adequate water & preening).

thank you all for your advice and support!