My one year old female runner, Elf, has a ring of feather loss around her neck and on the front it continues up to her bill almost as if the feathers had been scraped off. She was rescued last year and has remained an imprint and does not like my other ducks so she hangs around with me. Anyway I know that the feather loss is not related to mating. I could find no mites so I took her to the local avian vet who was puzzled too--no mites or microscopic bugs. Other than her disinterest in other ducks she has a fairly normal duck life-outside a lot and swimming in the pool, eating bugs and grass while I'm outside with her. She is on a layer pellet with greens and oyster shell so I don't think it is diet related. Her eggs are fine. Help! It is progressing and I'm afraid I will end up with the first bald headed runner duck. Thanks, Annie
I'm not sure what this could be if mites was ruled out. what about some kind of ring worm? did he check for that? does she get alot of sunshine like vitamin D3 kind of sunshine? Does she get to spend alot of time out doors is what i'm getting at? Sounds like her diet is good. Maybe try and pick up some Poultry Nutri Drench next time your at TSC or feed store and start putting it in her water it is awesome stuff. I'll get you the link about it. And http://barnyardsandbackyards.org/2010/09/18/review-nutri-drench/
Thanks for the link. Can't hurt to have some around. I switched her feed to an organic layer pellet and I've let her have some Mazuri maintenance again as well. The feathers are coming back!!! She is a outside quite a bit and we do not use any chemicals on the lawn.( The ducks are my lawn service-if only I could teach them to mow.) I was searching around the internet and came across some strange molt stories similar to Elf's most of which thankfully ended with feather regrowth. I've had ducks for 4 years and this was a first for me.
