Help! My Rouen Drake's green head coloring is fading!

[GoldDogsMom]

My Daffy's head was a brilliant green but has slowly faded in color over the last few weeks. He is about a year and 1/2 old, is this normal or is he lacking something in his diet? Otherwise healthy and active!

Thank you in advance,

Leslie

 

[arnaudgf]

I'm not an expert, but I think he may be molting into his fall/winter colors that are supposed to be a bit fade (no need to seduce the ladies in the winter )

 

[Frank Phinster]

Actually, winter and spring are mating season for mallards.
Drakes usually moult in summer and obtain their camouflage eclipse plumage and thus look similar ducks for a few weeks and usually moult again in late summer and autumn to get their colourful nuptial plumage back.
Domestic ducks usually follow this cycle, but it is sometimes distorted.

@ GoldDogsMom:

When did your drake hatch?

Are other areas of his body affected?

Could you post a picture of him?

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Daffy hatched last April 2012 Here is a picture of him late summer last year and 3 of him today. I also have chickens and been through molts with them so my gut instinct told me this was probably molting as his back looks raggedy also.

Late last summer



and now...







Thanks for the advice!

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Daffy hatched last April 2012 Here is a picture of him late summer last year and 3 of him today. I also have chickens and been through molts with them so my gut instinct told me this was probably molting as his back looks raggedy also.

Late last summer



and now...







Thanks for the advice!

 

[Frank Phinster]

He is definetely moulting. His chest and flanks are also changing colour.

Nice ducks by the way

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Thanks Frank...that puts my mind at ease! I do love my ducks, they are so spoiled they wait for me to put them to bed at night in their little duckhouse with treats! And they know the difference when I throw a handful of food as opposed to a handful of freeze dried mealworms into their house-no tricking them!

 

[Frank Phinster]

Glad I could help you.
Mine have do deal with some disclipine when it is time to go to sleep

I herd them into the shed whether they like it or not. I know that they would like to stay outside because when given a chance, ducks are partly nocturnal.
But they get fresh lettuce at daytime for treats. The big muscovy drakes almost tear off my fingers when they pluck the lettuce from my hand and my runner duck stands between my feet to be as close to the source as possible. And although they like slugs and earthworms, they don't take them out of my hand.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

My 4 do a pretty good job at going in at night, must be dark though! The last 2 nights they have been waiting for me by the back porch and they follow me out to the house, makes people laugh! Mine will eat most anything out of my hand-their favorite thing being the freeze dried mealwoms LOL!

 

[GoldDogsMom]

My 4 do a pretty good job at going in at night, must be dark though! The last 2 nights they have been waiting for me by the back porch and they follow me out to the house, makes people laugh! Mine will eat most anything out of my hand-their favorite thing being the freeze dried mealwoms LOL!