Hi, I have six pekin ducklings and nine indian runner ducklings that are six weeks old this week. Although I have hatched quite a few times before I've never seen this problem; They haven't grown any feathers. At all. They are still all downy and fluffy and just sort of getting bigger like a normal duck. The Pekins are meat birds and potentially could be killed in two weeks. Normally they have most of their feathers by this stage but these haven't even showed signs of beginning to feather. Are they just a little slow or is it just a weird sort of nature thing? Any thoughts? Thank you, Amber.
Feathering
- Thread starter AmberRex
- Start date
I've never heard of this before since usually by 6 weeks most are feathered in real good. are you also seeing this in the Runners? maybe some pics would help.
I agree, neither have I, especially in Pekin there a pretty quick developing bird on the whole. Pics as ML said would be of great help, what is the diet, environment like? have you gotten birds from the same source before?
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- #4
I hatched them myself and have hatched from the same parents before. The runners are also featherless but they are just under a week younger. They are on poultry and duck grower, the self same as I always raise ducks on and they started on broiler high protein grower. They moved from the incubator to a box to a large meshed over dog cage and recently to an inside pen but they have been coming outside into a run since they were a week old for a few hours, me bringing them in when the weather has cooled and that.... I cannot think of anything that I have done differently since I hatched ducklings 11 weeks ago... Here are some photographs of some of them that I took yesterday. Sorry about the bad quality but they kept moving! You can see small patchy pieces starting but.... The three yellow ducks on the left are the pekins and all the rest are runners. I can upload other photos if needed.
One Pekin in the centre.
One Pekin in the centre.
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They look more like 4 week olds to me and what color is the grey/white Runner going to be when adult? beautifulI hatched them myself and have hatched from the same parents before. The runners are also featherless but they are just under a week younger. They are on poultry and duck grower, the self same as I always raise ducks on and they started on broiler high protein grower. They moved from the incubator to a box to a large meshed over dog cage and recently to an inside pen but they have been coming outside into a run since they were a week old for a few hours, me bringing them in when the weather has cooled and that.... I cannot think of anything that I have done differently since I hatched ducklings 11 weeks ago... Here are some photographs of some of them that I took yesterday. Sorry about the bad quality but they kept moving! You can see small patchy pieces starting but.... The three yellow ducks on the left are the pekins and all the rest are runners. I can upload other photos if needed.
One Pekin in the centre.
- Thread starter
- #6
I know that they look a way younger than they are but they really are six weeks I promise.
Here is a picture of the runner parents, sorry it's a mess around them but a combination of heavy rain and wet ducks does that around here!
Drake in the middle. The babies, we have two yellow, two dark grey, three black and two sort of beige ones, so to be honest it could be any colour when it does get feathers but I would say probably still grey and white if I was guessing!
Here is a picture of the runner parents, sorry it's a mess around them but a combination of heavy rain and wet ducks does that around here!
Drake in the middle. The babies, we have two yellow, two dark grey, three black and two sort of beige ones, so to be honest it could be any colour when it does get feathers but I would say probably still grey and white if I was guessing!
They are very pretty, I wish I had a reason for why your ducklings aren't feathering in, hopefully they will catch up with their age soon.I know that they look a way younger than they are but they really are six weeks I promise.
Here is a picture of the runner parents, sorry it's a mess around them but a combination of heavy rain and wet ducks does that around here!
Drake in the middle. The babies, we have two yellow, two dark grey, three black and two sort of beige ones, so to be honest it could be any colour when it does get feathers but I would say probably still grey and white if I was guessing!
I agree, but OP i get it you know the dating. They look healthy otherwise so i too am stumped.
- Thread starter
- #9
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