Molting or Illness???

[Libtasker]

Hi all, the answer might be obvious but I just want to double check.

So my Muscovy drake is looking pretty rough right now. Over the past week and a half he has lost his beautiful mohawk and some other feathers. His color has faded so much too. He seems happy and active he just looks so…..bald and crazy lol. It sounds like molting when I google it and it seems like the ladies are doing the same but I want to be sure to rule out any illnesses. He is also almost a year old (October). I have attached a photo of him earlier in the year and also of him recently. It’s gotten worse since the first photo was taken.
In the 2nd photo he is the big grey and black one.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Lol, he does look terrible, doesn't he!

Enter him in the moulting contest!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/official-2022-byc-other-fowl-molt-contest.1540695/

 

[ZZbean]

I give mine extra protein when they are molting (mealworms, earthworms, slugs, crickets, minnows, feeder fish, cooked fish or meat leftovers)

 

[littlechickenmama17]

I agree, if all his other ladies are looking the same, he's most likely molting. In the beginning, when my flock was caged all the time, I would try to let them free range to get more bugs and things to help with their molting, so I wouldn't have to spend so much on mealworms and such. Now, my flock free ranges full-time, and their molting process is less harder on them. Although, my flock has a big area of land to forage on, so if you live on a smaller plot or city yard, it may only work for a few seasons, but maybe more! Just an opinion based on my flock, but I agree with @ZZbean for more protein items.

 

[Libtasker]

Lol, he does look terrible, doesn't he!

Enter him in the moulting contest!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/official-2022-byc-other-fowl-molt-contest.1540695/

Yes! Haha and I will do that, thanks!

 

[Libtasker]

I give mine extra protein when they are molting (mealworms, earthworms, slugs, crickets, minnows, feeder fish, cooked fish or meat leftovers)

Ok, I’ll implement some of that for them. Thank you!

 

[Libtasker]

I agree, if all his other ladies are looking the same, he's most likely molting. In the beginning, when my flock was caged all the time, I would try to let them free range to get more bugs and things to help with their molting, so I wouldn't have to spend so much on mealworms and such. Now, my flock free ranges full-time, and their molting process is less harder on them. Although, my flock has a big area of land to forage on, so if you live on a smaller plot or city yard, it may only work for a few seasons, but maybe more! Just an opinion based on my flock, but I agree with @ZZbean for more protein items.

Yes, definitely going to get them started on that.