Mallard wing infection?

[bettynoodlees]

I couldn't find my camera, but as soon as I do I will take pictures...

My mallards are getting their pretty blue feathers, and even though most of them are coming in fine, I have 2 that have gotten the hard part of the feather (pin?) but there are no feathers coming out and they look like they are getting swollen, and they have a (very) little blood on their white feathers.

Is this some sort of infection,

or is it just a feathering quirk that will resolve itself?

 

[dumb_cluck]

Just watch them. My adopted mallard had the same problem where his pin feathers were "stuck" inside the quill (for some reason).

I just left him alone and made sure he was getting fed well and it resolved itself. He turned out to be a very pretty handsome drake.