HELP!!! 2 YEARS, NO MOLTING FROM DUCK

[DuckyDonna]

What breed are your ducks? - Other than Bantam, Mallard and Muscovy ducks no other duck breed requires trimming of their flight feathers.
None of my 29 Ducks have ever undergone what is called a "hard molt", when the majority of their feathers fall out, sometimes even expose patches of skin. My ducks are in some kind of "permanent molt", they loose feathers which regrow, then loose the next batch of feathers and so on. A hard molt is something undesirable for a duck, especially during cold weather.
Your duck looks similar to what mine do, pushing the feather shafts out, then fluffing them up.
If she behaves like a duck, eats, drinks, poops and makes a mess with water and food she's very likely ok.

My runners do the same as yours. It's a never ending mini pillow fight.

 

[Jpat]

 

[DiYMama540]

Remind me never get a bouquet of those flowers!!

 

[Ratchnick]

What kind of food do you give them?

 

[DuckyDonna]

What kind of food do you give them?

who? If it's me I give the Purina duck pellets

 

[DuckyDonna]

with this new web site format, you can't tell who the OP is unless you go all the way back to the first post! I sure hope they fix that!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

with this new web site format, you can't tell who the OP is unless you go all the way back to the first post! I sure hope they fix that!

Yes you can, if the OP has posted something there will be the label "Thread Starter" in the header of the post:

 

[DuckyDonna]

I was asking the thread stater, I'm thinking if the ducks don't get enough protein that could be why they don't molt.

oh ok, it's taking me a bit to figure out this new format. sorry

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

The one in question is a black swedish, and the other is a Rouen.
Good info! I did not know that their wings did not need to be trimmed....I don't trim them anymore, only the first year they would run around flapping their wings and get a little airborne so that is why I was cautious and trimmed the wings.
I definitely have never seen a hard molt and no bald patches ever on them. I know they are molting when their feathers all all over the yard, but I always notice it is only the rouens feathers, never any black feathers.
She definitely behaves like a normal messy duck! Just after so long, I was starting to get worried why she always looks so ratty, and if was related to an underlying condition I was not aware of.
Is there anything that can be done to encourage or promote her molt?

All my ducks are able to get airborne, even the White Layers, but it is just enough to flap over a small fence and the belly-flop land on the other side.
Protein rich food, meal-worms, cat-food, scrambled eggs, other insects helps birds to regrow their feathers, which are made almost entirely out of protein. My duckies get some cat-food every morning and for supper. Not too much as it will make the poop smell really bad. My 29 ducks receive ~900 grams of cat-food per day - about 30 grams (1 Oz) per duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have had ducks and chickens doing partial molts all the way through this month even. Our weather has been crazy. Not flight feathers with the ducks but small feathers everywhere. A couple of my Cochin bantam hens still working on getting the rest of their feathers on their heads. It's been a very strange winter so far. And I think it gets everyone confused. That's all about to change though over the weekend back to the deep freeze.

I do give dry dog food as a supplement during molt and winter months my birds love it. And dried meal worms.
I was reading on force molt and I find it cruel. Just give her time ,good feed and hopefully she'll soon molt out the old and grow the new. As long as she acts healthy.