mallard losing color

[bigbird]

My mallard hen is losing color in her beak. She is a cross with a Cayuga, and is about 8 years old. Her beak has always been black, but recently the tip has been losing color. Is this something that happens with age, or should I be worried? She is eating, drinking, and appears to be normal in every other way.

 

[Snipes]

I feel like as my mallards have aged, they have gotten a bit less colorful, and I have had the same question. Have you been deworming her? I am trying to determine if color loss might be due to a buildup of parasites as mine have never been dewormed and are 6.5 years old. I am actually getting some feed dewormer in the mail today so I can start testing that out! I will let you know if that seems to help!

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

6.5 and 8 are pretty dang old. I wouldn't be surprised if they are losing colour coz of age.

 

[buff goose guy]

My mallard hen is losing color in her beak.  She is a cross with a Cayuga, and is about 8 years old.  Her beak has always been black, but recently the tip has been losing color.  Is this something that happens with age, or should I be worried? She is eating, drinking, and appears to be normal in every other way.

She sounds like she is just ageing and very gracefully might I add !


Sorry just a pet peeve of mine she isn't a mallard if she has been mixed with something.

 

[bigbird]

Correct! I should have said "mutt"!

 

[Snipes]

I feel like as my mallards have aged, they have gotten a bit less colorful, and I have had the same question. Have you been deworming her? I am trying to determine if color loss might be due to a buildup of parasites as mine have never been dewormed and are 6.5 years old. I am actually getting some feed dewormer in the mail today so I can start testing that out! I will let you know if that seems to help!

Hmmm, maybe this experiment will not work. They are in a normal color change at the moment, and although they are looking better, it may very well be the change of season :/
How is she looking now? Any bettter?

 

[bigbird]

No, same discoloration in the beak. I'm out of town, but will take a picture on Monday when I get back. I'm also going to deworm her on Monday too. I'll give your experiment a try too.