green spots on duck bill

[dmpalmer]

I am concerned for one of my two ducks who has in the last few days developed some green spots on her bill. They almost look natural, but that is just not right? Is it some sort of fungal infection? Should I be putting her on some kind of medication?

 

[veronicasmom]

Necroposting is basically "bumping" or bringing up old posts. I don't see an issue with it if someone wants to.
Just don't read or respond to the post if it bothers you.

 

[duck darling]

Great to know! I was freaking out my Pekin girl is getting them. She is just hitting laying age so this is a relief!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Without actually seeing it- it is hard to say for certain - as spotting on the beak can happen with age in some ducks- but it can also happen for other reasons.

 

[dmpalmer]

She is less than a year old. It is the color that has me concerned.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have a young duck- only about 25 weeks old that has some spotting already. In her case- I think mild de- hydration may be a contributor. She is blind and doesnt drink enough water durring the day. I always take her straight to the water when I get home. She can walk around and find it herself- but she obviously isnt drinking enough. Her whole beak is sometimes very dry and the spots came up all of a sudden when summer and warmer days hit here in Australia. Any chance you could post a photo of her bill??

 

[Amiga]

As my runners (black and chocolate) grew up, their solid black bills developed different colored areas - some are green, some are blue.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Amiga, With the dark solid colours in runners it is very common for the bills to differ in shade between green- blue - charcoal - and it can also be age related. I see it more so in my drakes then the females with the bill colour starting charcoal- as they mature going to green/ orange- then after a year or so it can turn a kind of blue colour. The OP has a duck with an orange bill- so its quiet different. Orange bills birds often develop spotting on the bill - kind of like freckles rather than shades of dfferent colours. My pekin has some. I will try to get a photo of her to show what they are.

 

[Amiga]

Okay, duckyfromoz, thanks - I haven't had a Pekin in decades - so my only point of reference is the runners I have now.

And I reckon there could be many reasons for bill spotting, including normal pigmentation changes, fungal or bacterial infection, and who knows what else.

dmpalmer, are the spots soft or otherwise different in texture from the rest of the bill?

 

[critterranch]

i have fawn and white runners all my females have them i heard on here it has to do with hormone change when they get ready to lay
mine started getting green specks on bill at 12 weeks and it got darker over time.