I don't know if anyone reading this remembers my Pekin, Penny, and all the skin issues she's had and the big mystery we tried to figure out as to what was causing it. After a bunch of trips to the vet and trying antibiotics galore, switching up everything envrionmental, I've given up. She's still about the same, with good and bad days, but eats, lays and does everything totally normal.
I have three pekins, all female. My ducks have such a biological urge to mate, whenever they are out by fresh water in my yard they are trying to figure that out. Interestingly, Penny and my other pekin Tuppins, always hang together by the bucket of fresh water. Penny will get real low and display willingness to mate, then Tuppins will start pulling tiny feathers and down out of Penny's side. I've actually seen her eat them. I watch them pretty close outside due to predators, so I usually divert them before it happens, or catch them as soon as it starts happening since Penny's sides are beat up by her skin affliction. I wouldn't think that this tiny little feather pull would cause the extensive damage Penny has on both her sides, however, to be sure, I've recently separated their night time sleeping quarters to make sure Tuppins isn't doing that at night.
Today I was just working outside by their coop and I saw the same behavior with Penny laying down low by the edge of the pond and Tuppins standing there. When I went in there were a bunch of little feathers on the ground where Penny had been. Also, I watched Tuppins walk by Puddles, who was just resting, and dig her beak into Puddles back between her shoulder. Puddles has a tiny bit of skin issue like Penny - mostly in the spot between her shoulders where Tuppins put her beak in, but also a little on the sides that comes and goes. After that Penny ran over and attacked one of my welsh harlequins, who was sleeping. So weird!
Now I am feeling really worried that maybe Tuppins is causing the damage to Penny and Puddles. I just don't get it. They've always gotten along great and are well. She's the sweetest and friendliest of my ducks, towards humans. She's always just seemed really happy-go-lucky. Never picked on my little welshies, like Penny does, just kind of does her own thing. Is it possible that a little feather pull here or there could cause a lot of damage? I can't be out there babysitting them all day! Hoping to see whether there is any difference after a few weeks of separating their sleeping quarters.
Sorry to be long winded - just wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I'm uploading photos of Penny from just now. This is actually looking really good for her. Sometimes large sections of her side have been raw looking and she's had bleeding. Even just a few days ago it looked much worse, and it's always been up and down
I have three pekins, all female. My ducks have such a biological urge to mate, whenever they are out by fresh water in my yard they are trying to figure that out. Interestingly, Penny and my other pekin Tuppins, always hang together by the bucket of fresh water. Penny will get real low and display willingness to mate, then Tuppins will start pulling tiny feathers and down out of Penny's side. I've actually seen her eat them. I watch them pretty close outside due to predators, so I usually divert them before it happens, or catch them as soon as it starts happening since Penny's sides are beat up by her skin affliction. I wouldn't think that this tiny little feather pull would cause the extensive damage Penny has on both her sides, however, to be sure, I've recently separated their night time sleeping quarters to make sure Tuppins isn't doing that at night.
Today I was just working outside by their coop and I saw the same behavior with Penny laying down low by the edge of the pond and Tuppins standing there. When I went in there were a bunch of little feathers on the ground where Penny had been. Also, I watched Tuppins walk by Puddles, who was just resting, and dig her beak into Puddles back between her shoulder. Puddles has a tiny bit of skin issue like Penny - mostly in the spot between her shoulders where Tuppins put her beak in, but also a little on the sides that comes and goes. After that Penny ran over and attacked one of my welsh harlequins, who was sleeping. So weird!
Now I am feeling really worried that maybe Tuppins is causing the damage to Penny and Puddles. I just don't get it. They've always gotten along great and are well. She's the sweetest and friendliest of my ducks, towards humans. She's always just seemed really happy-go-lucky. Never picked on my little welshies, like Penny does, just kind of does her own thing. Is it possible that a little feather pull here or there could cause a lot of damage? I can't be out there babysitting them all day! Hoping to see whether there is any difference after a few weeks of separating their sleeping quarters.
Sorry to be long winded - just wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I'm uploading photos of Penny from just now. This is actually looking really good for her. Sometimes large sections of her side have been raw looking and she's had bleeding. Even just a few days ago it looked much worse, and it's always been up and down
