Moldy Bill??

[crazylilchick]

One of my runner ducks has spots on its bill. It looks like her bill is moldy. What the heck is it? Is there something I need to do for her? We tried cleaning it up but it doesn't come off.

 

[PlumTuckered]

I believe this is natural in ducks. My gals are 22 weeks old and they also have the black patches on their bills. My drakes don't have any at all.

Michelle

 

[Wifezilla]

Like this?

It is a natural stage in a color change. Depending on the breed, the bills will eventually be black or a very dark army green.

 

[Goat_Walker]

My rescued 10 y/o drake has a bill thatg is green, yellow, orange, and black. I tried cleaning it but its almost like it is stained. I think its natural.

 

[froggie71]

Yes this is normal. They get "freckles" as they age. It happens with a hormone change.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
Yup - My Pekin has all sorts of greenish grey spots on her bill - they become more pronounced just before the begins to lay in the early spring, and then seem to fade towards the end of summer as the hormones wane and she stops laying.

 

[Duck Keeper]

It shows up in most laying ducks, and my Magpie (Fawn & white Indian Runner) has a bright yellow bill with lots of green speckles on it.

Nothing to worry about unless the beak actually begins to mold (wow that would be weird).



If it's a very high quality show bird, the speckling is far less than most of the run-of-the-mill birds out there.