Feathers everywhere!

[CharS]

I wasn't aware of their sex when my partner surprised me with them. They are fed layers pellets (breeder told me to feed them this) I'm not sure wether this is correct or not (again any advice is greatly appreciated) & they have some fresh corn in the afternoon. my female is currently feeling sorry for herself with a limp & is on anti imflammatories, my vet advised to restrict my female because of this, when I asked should I also restrict the males because they tend to get a little upset when apart, vet told me to leave the drakes with her, resulting in them being restricted too. They were out the majority of the day before the vet visit (just being in their pen whilst the dogs let out to pee). Is the restriction frustrating them? I'm letting them out 3 times a days for 1hr30 mins wash time roughly, after this time my female tends to gets tierd on her legs & walks herself back into the pen & the males follow. Like I said I'm very much a newbie & in the dark with the whole duck keeping thing, my partner Sprung 3 ducks on me as a surprise & now I'm trying to learn as much as i possibly can in a short period of time.

 

[CharS]

Just to clear up, they are not preening/plucking each others feathers, they are doing it to themselves.

 

[Welshies]

I wasn't aware of their sex when my partner surprised me with them. They are fed layers pellets (breeder told me to feed them this) I'm not sure wether this is correct or not (again any advice is greatly appreciated) & they have some fresh corn in the afternoon. my female is currently feeling sorry for herself with a limp & is on anti imflammatories, my vet advised to restrict my female because of this, when I asked should I also restrict the males because they tend to get a little upset when apart, vet told me to leave the drakes with her, resulting in them being restricted too. They were out the majority of the day before the vet visit (just being in their pen whilst the dogs let out to pee). Is the restriction frustrating them? I'm letting them out 3 times a days for 1hr30 mins wash time roughly, after this time my female tends to gets tierd on her legs & walks herself back into the pen & the males follow. Like I said I'm very much a newbie & in the dark with the whole duck keeping thing, my partner Sprung 3 ducks on me as a surprise & now I'm trying to learn as much as i possibly can in a short period of time.

Get rid of the layer pellets now. They need grower. Probably a calcium overdose, and you need to fet them on the right track. 16-18% grower (if chicken, they need additional niacin. Look for poultry, duck, or waterfowl grower) will suffice. Make sure they have free choice grit (granite NOT oyster shell or limestone) chick-sized. Watch them and if they don't stop plucking themselves, you may need to cull them.
I highly suggest the book "Storey's Guide To Raising Ducks" by Dave Holderread. Will get you started with ducks in no time.

 

[CharS]

thank you, I'll change it immediately. One male looks patchy all over, I've just picked them up & checked them over, I can't see skin on the chest/breast, it did look like it but it's not, there are still feathers there just not the pretty outer ones. I see & feel new feathers coming through. It seems to be all the fluff underneath that is either falling out/being pulled out & the odd outer feather.

 

[CharS]

 

[CharS]

 

[gal5150]

My 10 wk WH female and Cayuga female are molting their down, primarily on their chest...though they have absolutely no bald spots or patches. I thought this was early for a molt but they are not feather picking, every time they stretch out their wings and flap like silly girls, down feathers fly. I wonder if it's not heat related in our case bc the temps are 95-100+....seems wise and adaptive to get rid of the fluffy down. Is it hot where you are?

 

[CharS]

I live in the uk, it's summer here but the days are about 17-18degrees c. My boys are also dropping little fluffy feather when they flap around. When I was stroking the boys & checking through their under feathers they were dropping out.

 

[gal5150]

Well that blows my heat theory! Same here with down feathers coming out when holding/petting the girls. Mine are on a grower feed, protein levels are fine, so I'm not sure what to tell you other than the girls are healthy, thriving, not cramped whatsoever....and molting their down...though not at the rate of your boys.

 

[Welshies]

My 10 wk WH female and Cayuga female are molting their down, primarily on their chest...though they have absolutely no bald spots or patches. I thought this was early for a molt but they are not feather picking, every time they stretch out their wings and flap like silly girls, down feathers fly. I wonder if it's not heat related in our case bc the temps are 95-100+....seems wise and adaptive to get rid of the fluffy down. Is it hot where you are?

10 weeks is normal for a first molt. Mine had theirs at 9 weeks.