Feathers everywhere!

[Miss Lydia]

X2 as well!

I have never had any of mine get any external (or internal for that matter) parasites, and currently I think we're at approx 150 Call ducks, lol... that number is going to reduce drastically soon, but still no bugs... lots of yard ranging and water time and they keep themselves clean and healthy very easily...

150 little Calls running/flying around I'd love to see that. How are you going to drastically reduce them sell?

 

[Ravynscroft]

150 little Calls running/flying around I'd love to see that.  How are you going to drastically reduce them sell?

Yep... much as we would love to keep them all, we can't... we've gotten the colors and patterns we want, plenty of diverse genetics and now it's time to choose our breeders... and of course, certain members will always stay with us...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep... much as we would love to keep them all, we can't... we've gotten the colors and patterns we want, plenty of diverse genetics and now it's time to choose our breeders... and of course, certain members will always stay with us...

Goodness what did you do make a run way and have the little ones walk it so you could see all sides shapes and colors [just kidding] but that would have been fun to watch.

 

[CharS]

They really do look terrible. I may be over reacting but as I am new to all of this & in all honesty I've never seen a molting duck, ever! Lol they have a big water tray, deep enough for a good wash, they seem to be in that more than they forage. Even though their chest's/breast area is bare ( they have spiky, very soggy, feathery bits poking out) is this normal in a molt? Does preening seem to take over during a molt? As that's all they seem to do at the moment. thanks for the reassurance

 

[Miss Lydia]

They really do look terrible. I may be over reacting but as I am new to all of this & in all honesty I've never seen a molting duck, ever! Lol they have a big water tray, deep enough for a good wash, they seem to be in that more than they forage. Even though their chest's/breast area is bare ( they have spiky, very soggy, feathery bits poking out) is this normal in a molt? Does preening seem to take over during a molt? As that's all they seem to do at the moment. thanks for the reassurance

It's very normal for us to worry about our babies, yesterday I walked out to see if I needed to top off the feeders and found a huge pile of white flight feathers laying in the yard. My poor gander is in full molt I figured he would be naked when I found him but he wasn't but boy does he look rough. Mine do alot of preening normally especially after washing but seems when molt is going on they do more probably helping to get the old feathers out making way for the new pin feathers. What you are seeing is normal. When my flock is in molt they all get extra help with nourishment either some tiny bits of good quality dog kibble[protein] along with extra poultry vitamins in their water . And of course the Yummy dried meal worms.

 

[Welshies]

Molting ducks ahould not be plucking there own feathers out, and if she has seen her ducks pull their own feathers out it needs to stop. Or if another duck is plucking other ducks' feathers. Be careful and make sure they are not grooming, though.
And there is no specific brand- just get something for chickens.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Molting ducks ahould not be plucking there own feathers out, and if she has seen her ducks pull their own feathers out it needs to stop. Or if another duck is plucking other ducks' feathers. Be careful and make sure they are not grooming, though.
And there is no specific brand- just get something for chickens.

When my water fowl are preening and going through molt I have seen feathers falling out maybe the preening is doing it but none the less it's not the big flight feathers but the small feathers on their chest. I'm not talking about hand fulls either but I have seen feathers falling. When my chickens had mites one year they got on me too when I was cleaning their building even though my chickens had mites and I treated all of my chickens and their side of the house my water fowl did not have them.They live in same house just separated by a wall and a door that has chicken wire on it for ventilation.

 

[Welshies]

When my water fowl are preening and going through molt I have seen feathers falling out maybe the preening is doing it but none the less it's not the big flight feathers but the small feathers on their chest. I'm not talking about hand fulls either but I have seen feathers falling. When my chickens had mites one year they got on me too when I was cleaning their building even though my chickens had mites and I treated all of my chickens and their side of the house my water fowl did not have them.They live in same house just separated by a wall and a door that has chicken wire on it for ventilation. 

That clears things up BIG TIME. They're just molting! No worries.

 

[gal5150]

So went I let them out this morning, one male has pulled his feathers back to skin on his chest. His skin looks a little red, he's not interested in anything other than preening his chest. He's been doing this for 40 mins straight! Today I'm on a mission to try & find out why!!! I'm off to get the growers shortly, is there anything else I can get from the local farm shop to stop this?

This is what has me concerned that this is not just molting. My 2 cents

 

[Ravynscroft]

This is what has me concerned that this is not just molting. My 2 cents

Just like chickens, some molt slow and some mass molt fast... but unlike chickens, those little feathers tend to hang up in the down and the ends will constantly poke and prick their skin as they move around... my Lady Grey mass molts like that and she will stand there for a good hour easy just schwepp-schwepp-schwepping with her bill stripping those little feathers out of her down...

These are also young ducks, and if you've ever seen a child get a mosquito bite then you'll understand getting a bit carried away with itching out those scratchy little feathers...